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TUFTS   UNIVERSITY    LIBRARIES 


9090   013   410  853 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  Medicine 
Cummings  School  ct  Veterinary  Medicine  at 
Tufts  University 
200  Westboro  Road 
Mo^:hGranon,  MA  01536 


THE  DOG  BOOK 


s  s- 


The  Dog  Book 

A  Popular  History  of  the  Dog,  with  Practical 
Information  as  to  Care  and  Management  of 
House,  Kennel,  and  Exhibition  Dogs ;  and 
Descriptions   of  All   the   Important  Breeds. 


BY 


JAMES   WATSON 


VOLUME  I 

Illustrated  from  Photographs,  Paintings, 
and  Rare  Engravings 


NEW  YORK 

Doubleday,  Page  &  Company 
1906 


f(/m^ 


Copyright,  1905,  1906,  by 

Doubleday,  Page  &  Company 

Published  August,  1906 


/<//  ri£-Ais  reserved, 

including  that  of  translation  into  foreign  languages, 

including  the  Scandinavian. 


CONTENTS— VOLUME  I 


CHAPTER   I — PAGE    3 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  :  Origin  of  the  Dog — ^Theory  of  Descent  from 
the  Wolf — Darwin's  Theory  of  Descent  from  a  Distinct  Species — 
Ancient  Accounts  of  Various  Breeds — Egyptian  Drawings  and 
ReHcs,  Iranian  Literary  References,  Assyrian  Monuments,  Greek 
and  Roman  Sculptures — South  American  Mummies  and    Skulls. 


chapter  n — PAGE  29 

The  Dog  in  the  House: 

House  Dogs. — Selection — Food — ^Washing  and  Grooming — Cleanly 

Habits. 
Yard  Dogs. — ^Necessity  for  Exercise  and  How  to  Obtain  it. 
Kennel  Dogs. — ^Various  Methods  of  Housing — Suitable  Buildings  for 

Different  Sized   Kennels — "Stall"  System  of  Kenneling — Model 

Kennels — Outdoor  Kennels — Feeding. 

chapter  III — PAGE  51 

Exhibition  Dogs:  Proper  Preparation — "Condition" — Care  and  Treat- 
ment of  the  Coat — Feeding — ^What  to  Do  with  a  "Bad  Doer" — 
Final  Preparations — Off  for  the  Show — Before  the  Judging — 
Preparing  for  the  Ring — Showing  a  Dog,  and  Styles  Proper  for 
Different  Varieties. 

chapter  IV PAGE  61 

Management  of  Shows:  The  Committee,  Superintendent,  and  Secretary, 
and  Their  Duties — Premium  Lists — Simple  Office  Methods — Re- 
ceiving Entries — Preparing  the  Catalogue — Benching  and  Feeding 
— ^Arrival  of  the  Dogs — Disinfecting  and  Cleaning  the  Show — Con- 
duct of  the  Ring — Awarding  and  Paying  the  Prizes — Winding  up 
Affairs. 


vi  CONTENTS— Continued 

CHAPTER   V — PAGE   69 

Buying  a  Dog:  The  Value  of  Pedigree — Knowledge  of  Earlier  Generations 
Needed — Start  on  Equal  Footing  with  Successful  Breeders — Pur- 
chasing a  Show  Dog — Good  Dogs  Costly — Selecting  a  Puppy — A 
Good  Word  for  Dog  Dealers. 

CHAPTER   VI — PAGE    81 

Early  Spaniels  and  Setters:  The  Spaniel— The  Setting  Spaniel — The 
Individual  Fields  of  the  Setter  and  the  Pointer — The  Three  Breeds 
of  Setters:  English,  Irish,  and  Gordon. 

chapter  vii — page  105 

The  English  Setter:  Naworth  Castle  or  Featherstone  Castle  Setters — 
Edmond  Castle  Setters — Lord  Lovat's  Breed — The  Southesk — ^ 
Strains  of  the  Earl  of  Seafield — Breed  of  the  Earl  of  Derby 
and  Lord  Ossulston — Lord  Ossulston's  Black  Setters — Breeds  of 
Lord  Hume,  Wilson  Patten,  and  Henry  Rothwell — Mr  Lort's 
Setters — The  Welsh  or  Llanidloes  Setter — The  Laveracks  and 
Their  Breeding — Stonehenge  on  the  Laveracks  and  Llewellyns — 
Early  Importations  of  Laveracks — Pride  of  the  Border's  Progeny 
— The  Era  of  Mr.  Windholz  and  the  Blackstone  Kennels — 
The  Dark  Days  of  the  "Tennessee  Setters" — Return  to  the 
Correct  Type — Pedigree  in  Field  Trial  Dogs — Doctor  Rowe  on 
the  Llewellyns — Points  of  a  Good  Setter. 

CHAPTER    Vlll — page   147 

Training  of  a  Field  Dog. 

chapter  ix — page  159 

The  Irish  Setter:  The  History  of  the  Irish  Setter — Its  Existence  Before 
the  Nineteenth  Century — Mr.  Laverack  on  the  Qualities  of  the 
Irish  Setter — Stonehenge's  Excellent  Description — Controversy 
of  1 866  on  the  Colour  of  Old  Varieties — The  La  Touche  Setters — 
Dr.  Jarvis  on  the  Field-trials  Successes  of  the  Breed  in  England 
and  America — Views  of  Dr.  Davis  and  Mr.  B.  L.  Clements — 
Elcho  and  his  Descendants — Past  and  Present  Conditions  of  the 
Breed  in  America. 


CONTENTS  — Continued  y{{ 

CHAPTER   X — PAGE    195 

The  Gordon  Setter:  Correct  Facts  Regarding  the  Sale  of  the  Gordon 
Castle  Setters  in  1836 — Colour  and  Early  History — The  Collie 
Cross — Improbability  of  the  Gordon  Setter's  Irish  Origin — The 
Duke's  Intimate  Connection  with  English  Sportsmen — Attempt  to 
Change  the  Type  in  America — Present  Condition  of  the  Breed  in 
America — Points. 

chapter   XI — PAGE    217 

The  Clumber  Spaniel:  How  and  When  the  Breed  Reached  Clumber — 
First  Known  as  the  Duke  of  Newcastle's  or  Mansell's  Spaniels — 
Colonel  Hamilton's  Reference  to  the  Breed — Record  of  the  Variety 
Under  its  Modern  Name — The  Clumber  in  America — Points. 

chapter   XII — PAGE    229 

The  Sussex  Spaniel:  The  Passing  of  the  Sussex — The  Rosehill  Strain — 
The  Sussex  in  America — Points — Descriptive  Particulars. 

chapter   XIII — PAGE    233 

The  Field  Spaniel:  A  Modern  Type  of  Dog — Mr.  Jacobs's  Newton  Abbot 
Kennel  and  his  Successful  Breeding — The  Sussex  Introduced 
in  the  Old  Black  Strains — Mixed  Cocker  and  Field  Spaniel  Lines 
in  England  and  America — Show  History  of  the  Breed. 

chapter   XIV — PAGE    247 

The  Cocker  Spaniel:  The  Name  not  Originally  Indicative  of  Size — Divis- 
ion and  Colours  of  the  Spaniels  a  Century  ago — Mixed  Types  of 
Cockers  Before  the  Introduction  of  the  Obo  Strain — Wonderful 
Success  of  Obo  II.  as  a  Sire  and  his  Transformation  of  the  Variety — 
Mr.  Willey's  Enterprise  and  Successes — The  Canadians  One  Time 
Led  in  the  Production  of  the  Best  Cockers — Black  Duke's  Intro- 
duction and  his  Career — The  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels'  Many 
Good  Dogs — Change  in  the  Standard  and  the  Steady  Decrease 
in  Size — Mr.  W.  T.  Payne's  Good  Work  for  the  Parti-colours — The 
Mepal  and  Brookdale  Kennels  and  Their  Present  Competitors. 

chapter   XV — PAGE    265 

The  Norfolk  Spaniel:  An  Excellent  All-round  Worker  on  Land  or  in 
Water — Origin  of  the  Name — ^No  Connection  with  the  Duke  of 
Norfolk,  whose  Spaniels  were  Toy  Black  and  Tans. 


Viii  CONTENTS— Continued 

CHAPTER   XVI — PAGE    271 

The  Welsh  Spaniel  or  Springer:  Not  Entitled  to  be  Considered  as 
Specially  Restricted  to  Wales — The  Old  Type  of  Leggy  Spaniel 
Common  Throughout  England. 

CHAPTER   XVII — page    273 

Irish  Water  Spaniel:  A  Striking  Dog  Devoid  of  Ancient  History — The 
First  Description  Found  in  a  Scotch  Book — Mr.  Justin  McCarthy's 
Development  of  the  Variety — Its  Introduction  into  America  and 
Early  Popularity — Reasons  for  its  Decline — Present  Conditions 
of  the  Breed  as  a  Show  Dog. 

chapter   XVIII — page    281 

The  Pointer:  The  Probable  Origin  Traced  to  a  Dog  of  the  Tracking 
Hound  Type — Its  Sudden  Development  Throughout  Europe  and 
in  England  Inconsistent  with  any  Claim  of  Spanish  Origin — 
Shooting  Flying  Called  for  the  Use  of  the  Hound  Dog  that  Already 
Stood  and  Showed  Where  the  Game  was  and  it  Became  the  English 
"Pointer" — Gay's  Poetic  Reference  to  the  Pointer  in  i/ii — Major 
Topham  on  the  Ancient  Use  of  the  Pointer  to  Find  the  Hare  for 
Coursing — ^The  Russian  Pointer  or  Setter — Colonel  Thornton's 
Use  of  the  Foxhound  Cross  and  His  Remarkable  Dogs — Black 
Pointers  and  Dwarf  Varieties — The  Pig  Pointer  Slut — Breeding 
Throughout  England  Preceding  the  Show  Period — Remarkable 
Prepotency  of  Price's  Bang  in  Producing  Show  and  Field  Dogs 
and  Forming  the  Pointer  of  To-day — History  of  the  Breed  in 
America — Westminster  Kennel  Club's  Early  importations — The 
Graphic  Kennels  Era — ^The  Phenomenal  Beaufort — Peculiar 
Judging  Methods  before  the  A.  K.  C.  was  Started — Success  of  the 
Westlake  and  Mott  Kennels — The  Pointer  in  the  Field  and  its 
Recognition  Enforced  by  the  Dexter-McCurdo  Combination  and 
the  Dogs  They  Produced. 

chapter   XIX — page    319 

The  Retriever:  A  Dog  More  Adapted  to  English  than  American  Shoot- 
ing Methods — Probable  Relationship  to  the  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog, 
through  the  Labrador — Descriptions  and  Points  of  the  Curly  and 
Wavy  Coated. 


CONTENTS— Continued  ix 

CHAPTER   XX — PAGE    325 

The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog:  A  Breed  of  American  Development — ^Tra- 
ditions Regarding  its  Origin  Point  to  the  Labrador  Dog — The 
Standard  Badly  Framed — Mr.  Pearson's  Opinions — Descriptions 
and  Scale  of  Points. 

chapter    XXI — page    333 

The  Dalmatian:  Ticked  Dogs  Known  in  Egypt  in  Ancient  Times — Early 
Descriptions  and  Pictures  of  English  Dogs  Called  for  Marks  now 
Declared  Incorrect — A  Descendant  of  the  Hound  Family — Re- 
quirements in  Judging  the  Dalmatian. 

chapter   XXII — PAGE    343 

Rough-coated  Collie:  A  Distinct  Type  of  Dog  of  Unknown  Origin — 
Illustrations  Dating  from  i8oo  Show  Same  Characteristics — The 
Name  of  Gaelic  Origin — Introduction  of  the  Collie  into  England 
with  Birmingham  as  Headquarters — Mr.  Charles  H.  Wheeler's 
Description  of  Historical  Dogs — The  Show-bred  Collie  as  a  Worker 
— History  of  the  Collie  in  America — Eclipse  and  Rutland  Impor- 
tations— Success  of  the  Chestnut  Hills  Kennel  Followed  by  Mr. 
Morgan's  Winnings — Prof.  Bohannan's  Table  of  Collie  Sires — 
The  Western  Breeders'  Rivalry  and  its  Good  Results. 

chapter   XXIII — PAGE    369 

The  Smooth  Sheep  Dog:  A  Distinct  Dog  from  the  Collie  in  its  Origin — 
The  Common  Farm  Dog  or  Mastiff  Called  the  Cur,  a  Name  of  Good 
Repute  in  Olden  Days — "Cur"  not  Derived  from  the  Shortened 
Tail  and  not  an  Abbreviation  of  Curtail — ^A  Breed  whose  Claim  for 
Quality  is  not  Properly  Recognised — Well  Adapted  for  Work  in 
This  Country. 

CHAPTER   XXIV — PAGE    379 

The  Bob-tailed  Sheep  Dog:  Claims  as  to  this  Breed  Being  an  Old  One 
not  Warranted — Erroneously  Supposed  to  Have  Been  the  Shep- 
herds' Dog,  which  was  Smooth — Probability  of  its  Originating 
from  Importations  of  Rough-coated  Russian  Setters — The  Furore 
of  a  Few  Years  Ago  Led  to  Many  Importations. — The  Mistake  of 
Favouring  Large  Dogs  who  Tire  Readily. 

A  list  of  technical  terms  and  glossary  will  be  found  in  Volume  II 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 
VOLUME   I 

Westminster  Kennel  Club  Show,  Madison  Square  Garden,  February 

1904    •••••...•.         Frontispiece 

r^  •  1  •  PAGE 

Grecian  and  Assyrian  Dogs        ........         2 


FACING  PAGE 


Egyptian  Hunting  Scenes  Showing  Three  Hound  Dogs  with  Various 

Markings     .         .         .         .         .         ,         .         .         .         .         .12 

Various  Types  of  Egyptian  Dogs  as  Illustrated  in  Ancient  Tombs     .  12 

Egyptian  and  Assyrian  Dogs      ........  14 

A  Beautifully  Modelled  Dog  of  Greyhound  Type  from  an  Egyptian 

Tomb           ...........  16 

Hunting  Wild  Asses  in  Assyria 18 

Greyhounds  Coursing.     Cut  in  Stone 20 

The  Molossian  Dog  Near  Athens       .......  20 

A  Small  Dog  in  Terra  Cotta  Having  a  Decided  Spaniel-like  Appearance  22 
Aktaion  Attacked  by  His  Dogs  When  Turning  Into  a  Stag       .         .  24 
Swiss  Mountain  Kennels,  Germantown;   Method  of  Keeping  Exhibi- 
tion Toys,  When  Not  at  Exercise 30 

Dr.  H.  T.  Foote's  Kennels,  Formerly  at  New  Rochelle     ...  34 

A  Humane  Way  of  Chaining  a  Watch  Dog 34 

Mr.  Winthrop  Rutherfurd's  Warren  Kennels  at  Allamuchy,  N.  J.     .  36 

Mr.  George  S.  Thomas's  Kennels  at  Hamilton,  Mass.       Two  pages  38 

The  Borthwick  Kennels,  Hackensack,  N.  J 40 

Dr.  De  Mund's  Russian  Wolfhound  Kennels,  at  Bath  Beach,  N.  Y.    .  42 

Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan's  Kennels  at  Highland  Falls,  N.  Y.    .         .  44 
A  Comfortable,  Easily  Cleaned  Kennel,  Affording  Good  Protection 

in  Winter  and  Summer        ........  46 

Swiss  Mountain  Kennels  at  Germantown 48 

The  De  Mund  and  Nichols's  Russian  Wolfhound  Kennels  at  Saddle 

River,  N.  J 48 

Dr.  Knox's  Bloodhound  Kennels  at  Danbury,  Conn.         ...  50 

Mr.  Untermyer's  Kennels  at  Greystone,  Yonkers,  N.  Y.             .         .  54 

The  Verona  Kennels  at  Pleasanton,  Cal. 56 

Showing  a  Beagle •  5^ 

Mrs.  Mayhew  Judging  Fox-terriers  at  Hempstead,  L.  K.  A.  Show    .  68 
Mr.  James  Mortimer  Judging  English  Setters  at  Hempstead,  L.  K.  A. 

Show                   68 


XII 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued 


English  Setter 
Border       " 


Chaining  the  Foxhounds  to  the  Fence  of  the  Horse-show  Ring, 
Bryn  Mawr  Show,  1903       ....... 

The  Interior  of  the  Tent  at  Bryn  Mawr  Show,  1903 

Mr.  J.  C.  Thomas,  Jr.'s  Enghsh  Setter,  Ch.  Mallwyd  Sirdar     . 

Spaniels.     From  "Gaston  Phoebus,"  or  "La  Livre  de  Chasse," 

"Feasant"  Hawking  .         .         .    Early  Spaniels  and   Setters 

"The  Setting  Dogge 

"The  Water  Dogge' 

Setter  and  Grouse 

Grouse  Shooting 

Partridge  Netting 

The  Spaniel 

The  Setter 

The  Gamekeeper 

The  English  Setter 

The  Setter 

The  Old  Enghsh  Setter 

Mr.  Edward  Laverack's  English  Setter,  Fred  IV. 

Mr.  Edward  Laverack's  "Old  Blue"  Dash 

Mr.  C.  H.  Raymond's  Champion  Pride  of  the 

Leicester     ..... 

Mr.  Purcell-Llewellyn's  Countess 
Mr.  J.  H.  Shorthose's  Novel      . 
Champion  Cora  of  Wetherall     . 
Cincinnatus         .... 

Mr.  R.  H.  Barry's  Myrtle  Beatrice 

Champion  Count  Reno 

Dr.  J.  E.  Hair's  Champion  Highland  Fleet 

Mr.  Frank  G.  Taylor's  Champion  Knight  Erran 

Barton  Tory       ...... 

Stylish  Sergeant  ..... 

Mr.  A.  Albright,  Jr.'s,  Queen's  Place  Pride 

Mr.  G.  C.  Thomas,  Jr.'s  Ulverstone  Rap 

Dr.  J.  E.  Hair's  Rumney  Ranger 

Charity 

Count  Oakley 

Joe  Cumming    . 

Doc  Hick    . 

Rodfield     . 

Lord  Bentinck,  Taken  When  Seven  Years  Old  " 

Mr.  F.  Shunk  Brown's  English  Setter  Edgemark  *' 

Mr.  Joseph  E.  Borden's  English  Setter,  Champion  Ruby  D.  III. 


FACING  PAGE 

at 

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LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS— Co«/i««^^ 


Xlll 


FACING  PAGE 


English  Setter 
Irish  Setter 


Mr.  R.  PI.  Barry's  English  Setter  Champion  Queen's  Pride 

Mr.  Riplinger's  English  Setter  Bitch  Pera 

Mr.  Riplinger's  English  Setter  Elloree        .         .         .         . 

Judging  a  Variety  Class  at  the  Ladies'  Kennel  Association  Show  at 
Mineola,  L.  I.,  1904 

Mr.  Charles  Phelp's  Antonio 

Rowdy  Rod 

Pointing  a  Hare 

Hutchinson's  Bob 

Macdona's  Rover 

Dr.  Wm.  Jarvis's  Imported  Signal 

Champion  Rose — Champion  Elcho 

Dr.  Wm.  Jarvis's  Romayne 

Imported  Henmore  Shamrock    . 

Palmerston  .... 

Glenmore  Kennels'  Imported  Finglas 

Irish  Setters  in  the  Field    . 

Dr.  Gwilym  G.  Davis's  Currer  Ruth 

St.  Lambert's  Mollie 

Jeannot,        .... 

Champion  Borstal  Rock     . 

Champion  St.  Cloud  III. 

Champion  Florence  H. 

Champion  Beaumont 

Idstone's  Kent 

Champion  Echo  Clinton  II. 

Jerome  Marble's  Grouse    . 

Champion  Doc   . 

Mr.  E.  Maher's  Champion  Royal  Duke 

Champion  Heather  Bruce 

Champion  Heather  Lad     . 

Champion  Teddy  A. 

Champion  Duke  of  Edgeworth 

Mr.  Ben  Lewis's  Molly      . 

Bay  View  Grace 

Wheatley's  Painting  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  on  his  Favourite  Shoot- 
ing Pony       .         .         .         •         •         •         •         •         •         •    ,     • 

The  Only  Good  Illustration  of  the  Clumber  Spaniel  in  the  Various 
Editions  of  the  Two  Books  by  Stonehenge,  Appearing  in  the 
Third  Edition  of  "Stonehenge  on  the  Dog,"  1879      . 

Clumber  and  Sussex  Spaniels 

Spaniels      ......••••••     ^-^-^ 

Lapis Clumber      .  .         .222 

P 


Gordon  Setter 


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XIV 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS— Continued 


Sussex  Spaniel 


Premier  Queen  and  Beechgrove  Bertha,      .  Clumbers 

Mr.  R.  Preston,  Jr.'s  Glenwood  Greeting  " 

Mr.  Luke  Crabtree's  Colwyn  Clown 

A  Winning  Team  of  Clum.bers 

Champion  Maggie  of  Eaton  Park 

The  Shooting  Party 

Champion  Bachelor    . 

Coleshill  Rufus 

Brush,  Nellie  and  Ladybird      .  .         .  Field  Spaniel 

Toronto  Beau 

A  Jacobs  Puppy 

Glencairn 

Newton  Abbot  Darkie 

Champions  Scandal,  Bridford  Morda  and  Royd  Monarch  and 

(group)        .         .         .         .         .         . 

Moston  Moonstone  Field  Spaniel 

Champion  Royd  Monarch  " 

Champion  Endcliffe  Bishop 

Champion  Black  Duke         Cocker  Spaniel 

Champion  Obo  IL 

Duke  Royal 

Champion  Ono 

Champion  Middy 

Black  DufFerin 

Raven  Little  Woman 

Paro 

Champion  Romany  Rye 

Champion  Blue  Bells  IL 

Rival  King 

Mepals  Shotover 

Mepals  Rosemary 

A  Team  of  Welch  Springers 

Dash  IL,  a  Norfolk  Spaniel 

Champions    Rock   Driver  and   Poor   Pat   and   Our  Chance  (G 

of  Irish  Water  Spaniels)      .... 
Biddy  Sullivan       .         .         Irish  Water  Spaniel 
Erin's  Float             .        .                          " 
Pat  Hainey             .         .                          " 
Champion  Dan  McCarthy                     " 
Duck  Shooting  with  the  Matchlock  (1560) 
Le  Chasseur  au  Vol  (1735)         .... 
The  Tracking  Hound 


FACING   PAGE 


Field  Spaniel 
Cocker  Spaniel 


Toby 


roup 


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268 

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LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS— Co«/;n«.^ 


Shooting  Flying  (1735)       .... 

Captain  Fleming  and  His  Hawks 

The  Pointer  (by  Sydenham  Edwards) 

Pluto  and  Juno  (Colonel  Thornton's  Pointers) 

A  Thornton  Pointer  (by  Reinagle) 

Dash  (Colonel  Thornton's  Celebrated  Pointer) 

Spanish  Pointer  (by  Stubbs) 

Slut,  the  Pointing  Pig 

Ridgeview  Saddleback        .         .         .        Pointer 

Champion  Graphic     . 

Ten  from  the  Topnotch  Kennels 

"Steady"  a  Topnotch  on  Point 

Banner  Faskally  on  Point 

Lady  Westlake  and  Westlake  Ornament 

Meally,  Bracket,  Revel  HI.,  Graphic    (a  Graphic  Kenne 


PACING   PAGE 


Point 


er 


Retriever 


Ch.  Mark's  Rush 

Faskally  Bragg 

Champion  Oregon's  Jessie  H. 

Champion  Revel  HI. 

Champion  Donald 

Champion  Sir  Walter 

Beppo  HI. 

Champion  Bracket 

Coronation 

"Brush,  A  Celebrated  Retriever' 

Bonnacord  Darkie 

Champion  Black  Quilt 

An  English  Gamekeeper  and  his  Dogs 

Gammon  Gata  .         .  .    Chesapeake  Bay  Dog 

Chesapeake  Bay  Dogs  of  Maryland,  Ohio  and  the  Pacific 

The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog  at  Work  . 

The  Dalmatian  (from  a  painting  by    Reinagle) 

The  Dalmatian  (from  "Bewick's  Quadrupeds") 

King  Cole  ....     Dalmatian 

Windyvalley  Roadster  and  Benrino  '' 

Jean 

Champion  Fauntleroy 

Denbigh  Duke 

Bismark 

Polka  Dot,  Queen  Spot 

A  Century  of  Improvement  of  the  Rough-coated  Collie  (1805-1905) 

Ch.  Charlemange 

Nesta 


Rough-coated  Collie 


s'  Team). 


Coast 


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343 
345 
345 


xvi  LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS— Co«//««^^ 

FACING  PAGE 

Champion  Cocksie         .         Rough-coated  Collie       ....     345 

"Pillars  of  the  Stud  Book"  "  ... 

Some  American  Winners — ^All  Imported  Excepting  Roslyn  Wilkes 

A  Study  in  Heads,  From  Marcus  to  Model,   Rough-coated  Collie 

Prominent  Present-day  Dogs  in  England  " 

Harwood  Piccolo        .....  " 

An  International  Page — England,  Scotland,  Canada,  United  States 

Getting  Ready  for  the  Show  Ring      .         .      Rough-coated  Collie 

Ch.  Parbold  Purity,  Cragston  Piccolo         .         .  *' 

Making  the  Collie  Useful  as  a  Goat  Tender      .  *' 

Clayton  Surprise  and  Redcar  Lassie  .       Smooth  Sheep  Dog 

Ch.  Bardon  Venture  .....  ** 

Ch.  Eleanor  de  Montfort  ....  ** 

Out  for  Morning  Exercise  ....  ** 

A  Bob-tailed  Sheep  Dog 

A  Rough  Terrier,  Alleged  to  be  a  Bob-tailed  Sheep  Dog 

"Shepherds'  Dog*' 

Champion  Wilberforce,       .         .         .  Bob-tailed  Sheep  Dog 

Champion  Dolly  Gray         ...  "  " 


.347 
350 
352 
354 
357 
359 
3^3 

365 

366 

370 

370 

370 

372 

379 

379 

379 
382 

382 


THE  DOG  BOOK 


ASSYRIA 


FROM   THE    TOMB    OF   REKHMARA   AT   THEBES 


TERRA     COTTA    DOG    (ASSYRIA)    NAMED    "  DAAN    RIZSU  "    LET 
INTO    A   SLAB    WITH    HUNTING   SCENE 


CHAPTER  I 


Early  History  of  the  Dog 

HEORIES  as  to  the  origin  of  the  dog  have  been  plentiful,  and 
as  unsatisfactory  as  plentiful.  We  have  got  little  further  in 
that  direction  than  was  the  case  a  hundred  years  ago,  when 
but  little  was  known  regarding  the  history  of  the  world 
beyond  what  was  stated  in  the  Bible  and  could  be  found 
in  Greek  or  Roman,  or  still  more  modern,  literature.  Since  then 
we  have  travelled  back  to  full  seven  thousand  years  ago,  and  as  far  back  as  we 
find  the  dog  represented  by  drawings,  sculpture, or  carvings,  we  find  him  a  dis- 
tinct animal.  Why  the  dog  should  not  be  given  as  much  credit  for  originality 
as  any  other  animal  is  almost  remarkable;  but  some  people  have  it  that 
he  is  but  a  wolf,  a  prairie-wolf,  or  a  jackal  domesticated,  and  when  it  comes 
to  the  varieties  of  the  dog,  we  have  the  most  marvellous  assumptions. 
There  was  not  a  dog  living,  according  to  writers  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
that  was  not  a  cross  between  two  other  varieties,  or  even  impossible  crosses, 
such  as  the  mastiff  being  from  a  cross  with  the  hyena,  while  some  other 
breed  had  a  dash  of  the  Bengal  leopard.  The  former  assertion  was  made 
by  such  eminent  naturalists  as  Pallas  and  Burchell,  and  even  Lowe 
stated  in  his  modern  "Domestic  Animals  of  Great  Britain"  that  it  was 
very  possible.  The  wild  dogs  of  India  were  said  to  be  a  cross  between 
the  wolf  and  the  tiger,  and  other  equally  ridiculous  statements  were  made. 
That  the  dog  and  wolf  will  cross,  and  that  a  cross  between  the  fox  and 
dog  has  been  repeatedly  claimed,  are  well-known  facts,  but  these  are  mules 
and  will  breed  only  with  the  parent  stock,  whereas,  no  matter  how  widely 
different  are  the  varieties  of  dog  crossed,  the  progeny  is  fruitful  inter  se. 
At  Wilton  House,  England,  there  is  an  epitaph,  as  follows:  "Here  lies 
Lupa,  whose  grandmother  was  a  wolf,  whose  father  and  grandfather  were 
dogs,  and  whose  mother  was  half  wolf  and  half  dog.  She  died  on  the  i6th 
of  October,  1782,  aged  twelve  years."  That  is  the  record  of  an  experiment 
conducted  by  Lord  Clanbrassil  and  Lord  Pembroke.  Others  have  experi- 
mented in  the  same  way,  but  it  is  the  interbreeding  of  the  progeny  that  is 
the  impossible  and  proves  them  to  be  mules. 

3 


4  The  Dog  Book 

Naturalists  have  their  way  of  attempting  to  prove  their  claims,  and 
point  to  certain  resemblances  and  characteristics.  For  instance,  it  is  almost 
universally  claimed  that  the  Eskimo  and  kindred  breeds  of  the  northern 
latitudes  are  either  domesticated  wolves  or  descendants  therefrom.  Mr. 
Bartlett,  who  was  for  many  years  the  head  of  the  London  Zoological 
Gardens,  in  his  annual  report  for  1890,  speaks  of  them  as  "reclaimed 
or  domesticated  wolves.  All  wolves,  if  taken  young  and  reared  by  man, 
are  tame,  playful,  and  exhibit  a  fondness  for  those  who  feed  and  attend 
to  them." 

We  will  take  the  wolf-like  dogs.  They  are  the  Eskimo  (which  will 
include  the  husky  and  malamuth  of  our  northern  latitudes),  Samoyede 
Lapland  dog,  Swedish  elkhound,  and  some  might  include  the  Chow  Chow 
and  Pomeranian.  Every  one  of  these  breeds  possesses  a  feature  which 
the  wolf  does  not,  and  it  is  the  one  point  that  would  at  once  strike  a  dog- 
breeder,  though  it  apparently  has  never  occurred  to  any  naturalist:  Every 
one  of  them  has  the  curled  tail — in  most  cases,  curled  tightly  over  the  back. 
The  last  husky  we  saw  was  at  large,  outside  John  F.  Schole's  place  at 
Toronto,  and  was  so  wolf-like  that  we  imagined  it  was  a  tame  wolf  that 
he  might  have  added  to  his  curiosities.  As  it  moved,  we  thought  its  tail 
had  been  cut  off,  but,  on  approaching  nearer,  it  was  seen  that  the  tail  was 
curled  so  closely  on  the  quarters  of  the  dog  as  not  to  be  noticeable  from  a 
distance.  Now,  it  would  require  a  lifetime,  almost,  to  take  a  dog  like  that, 
and,  with  kin  showing  the  same  characteristic,  develope  the  progeny  into 
wolf-tailed  dogs,  and  it  would  be  equally  difficult  to  take  a  lot  of  wolves, 
interbreed  them,  and  get  a  ring-tailed  family.  To  change  the  carriage 
of  the  tail  is  about  the  hardest  thing  a  fancier  can  accomplish.  How,  there- 
fore, could  the  uneducated  inhabitant  of  the  arctic  regions,  with  no  mate- 
rial to  cross  with,  put  the  tight-curled  tail  on  his  domesticated  wolf  .^ 

It  occasionally  happens  that  a  dog  of  a  ring-tailed  breed  developes  a 
tail  that  hangs  down,  and  vice  versa  with  one  of  the  down-tailed  breeds; 
but  dog-breeders  are  particularly  cautious  in  breeding  to  such  a  dog,  and 
will  only  do  so  when  thoroughly  satisfied  that  it  is  purely  an  individual 
sport,  and  the  dog  comes  from  a  strain  of  good-tailed  ones.  So  that  while 
there  is  always  the  possibility  of  getting  a  down-tailed  Eskimo,  we  have  to 
take  the  breed  as  a  whole,  and  by  a  recent  authority  it  is  one  well  described 
as  possessing  the  distinctive  features  of  a  foxy  head,  erect  ears,  stand-out 
coat,  dense  undercoat,  and  tightly-curled  tail. 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  5 

When  one  turns  to  Darwin  it  is  with  a  feeUng  that  here  at  least  we  will 
have  ground  for  whatever  is  suggested  as  probable,  and  it  is  a  belief  well 
founded,  for  there  is  sound  reasoning  backing  up  his  conclusions.  It 
will  be  well  for  those  interested  in  this  branch  of  the  subject  to  read  Chapter  I. 
in  "Origin  of  Species,"  and  so  grasp  all  he  says  on  the  subject  of  variation 
of  domestic  animals  and  their  character.  Darwin  was  not  a  believer  in 
mixtures  of  an  impossible  nature,  nor  that  the  wolf  was  the  original  dog. 
At  least  there  is  no  indication  of  that  in  the  chapter  referred  to.  He  says 
plainly  that  he  does  not  believe  that  the  entire  amount  of  difference  in 
breeds  of  dogs  is  due  to  production  under  domestication,  but  that  some 
small  part  is  owing  to  their  having  been  descended  from  distinct  species. 
The  difficulty  here  is  that  the  varieties  of  wild  dogs  that  we  know  of  are 
practically  alike.  They  vary  only  to  a  slight  degree,  while  preserving 
general  characteristics,  whether  found  in  India,  Africa  or  Australia.  Every 
one  of  these  wild  dogs  has  the  family  resemblance  which  suggests  a  possibly 
common  ancestry;  and  how  one  more  than  another  could  have  been  the 
ancestor  of  the  bulldog,  another  of  the  greyhound,  and  either  one  of  those 
or  still  a  third  variety  have  been  the  origin  of  the  toy  spaniel,  it  is  not  easy 
to  see.  Darwin  says  in  the  next  sentence  that  in  other  domesticated  animals 
there  is  presumptive  or  even  strong  evidence  that  they  descended  from  a 
single  wild  stock. 

Of  course  we  know  that  all  our  varieties  came  from  an  original  stock; 
and  if  we  read  Darwin  as  saying  that  as  all  these  wild  dogs  were  so  much 
alike  and  so  closely  allied  in  type  we  can  hardly  ascribe  to  any  one  variety 
the  sole  ability  to  have  produced  the  domestic  dog  in  all  its  varieties,  but 
that  from  any  one  of  them  might  have  come  the  "monstrosities"  which  man 
fostered  into  varieties,  we  will  get  at  a  clear  understanding  and  place  our- 
selves on  tenable  ground.  This  seems  to  have  been  Darwin's  opinion, 
for  a  few  sentences  later  we  read,  "  Looking  at  the  domestic  dogs  of  the 
whole  world,  I  have,  after  a  laborious  collection  of  all  known  facts,  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  several  wild  species  of  Canidce  have  been  tamed,  and 
that  their  blood,  in  some  cases,  mingled  together,  flows  in  the  veins  of 
our  domestic  breeds." 

Later  on  Darwin  disputes  the  claims  of  some  that  varieties  developed 
as  a  result  of  crossing  aboriginal  species.  Quite  right,  for  by  such  means 
you  arrive  only  at  an  intermediate  stage  or  else  a  reversal,  and  that  reversal 
will  be  to  the  original  stock.     For  instance,  you  can  make  the  Boston 


6  The  Dog  Book 

terrier  by  crossing  the  bulldog  and  the  terrier,  and  then  selecting  your  type, 
but  you  cannot  make  the  bulldog  type  from  a  greyhound  and  spaniel. 
Strange  to  say,  Darwin  apparently  disputes  the  possibility  of  making  a 
Boston  terrier,  for  he  says,  "to  obtain  a  race  intermediate  between  two 
distinct  races  would  be  very  difficult,"  adding  that  Sir  John  Sebright, 
who  produced  the  Sebright  bantams,  experimented  with  this  object  and 
failed.  Darwin  had  a  similar  result  with  pigeons,  and  it  would  really 
seem  that  the  same  natural  law  does  not  apply  alike  to  birds  and  dogs. 
Darwin  crossed  a  barb  and  white  fantail,  both  tested  to  breed  true,  and 
had  a  mixed  lot  as  a  result;  then  he  crossed  a  spot  and  a  barb  with  a  like 
result,  and  breeding  from  these  two  cross  matings  produced  a  pigeon  with 
the  colour  and  markings  of  the  wild  blue  rock.  Sebright  bred  back  to  an 
approach  to  the  jungle  fowl.  What  a  similar  process  would  yield  in  dogs 
is  problematical.  It  is  very  true  that  in  breeding  from  a  first  cross  in 
dogs  there  would  be  no  controlling  the  result.  The  puppies  might  throw 
back  to  either  grandparents  or  bear  a  resemblance  in  part  to  the  first  cross. 
But  here  is  where  man  comes  in.  The  experimenter  has  an  idea  of  what 
he  wants  to  produce  by  this  crossing  and  selects  from  the  progeny  what 
most  closely  approaches  his  ideal,  and  by  doing  this  for  a  few  generations 
begins  the  establishing  of  type. 

Youatt  tells  us  of  two  sheep-breeders  who  started  with  pure  Bakewell 
blood  and  made  no  outside  introductions,  yet  in  a  few  years,  each  working 
to  an  ideal,  they  had  flocks  entirely  different  from  each  other  in  type. 
If  Mr.  Barnard,  who  was  one  of  the  original  producers  of  Boston  terriers, 
had  gone  on  breeding,  without  any  knowledge  of  what  the  more  modern 
terrier  wants  are  in  this  breed,  his  Bostons  would  be  entirely  different 
from  what  we  have  now.  His  idea  was  the  bulldog  type,  without  the  pro- 
truding lower  jaw.  The  fancy  went  in  its  standard  for  a  dog  of  the  terrier 
type  in  having  a  closer  front  and  standing  on  its  legs,  not  between  them  as 
the  bulldog  does. 

Noting  as  we  have  during  a  pretty  long  connection  with  dogs  the  changes 
in  type,  the  following  of  fashion,  and  the  vast  improvement  following  care 
in  selection  and  care  of  the  dogs  themselves,  we  can  see  nothing  impossible 
in  the  absolute  statement  that  starting  with  a  sport  or  monstrosity,  as 
Darwin  calls  a  radical  difference  from  racial  type,  and  cultivating  it  as  a 
fancy,  varieties  are  established.  Then  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  by 
thus  continually  seeking  to  alter  and  modify  dogs  in  appearance  we  are 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  7 

rendering  them  more  plastic  and  easier  of  alteration,  therefore  the  more 
liable  to  sport.  Darwin  need  not  have  gone  all  over  the  world  for  a  study 
of  the  development  of  varieties,  for  he  had  right  in  England  one  of  the  most 
interesting  studies  possible  to  be  obtained,  and  that  is  the  terriers,  where 
they  came  from,  what  they  were  originally  and  how  we  got  to  the  Yorkshire 
and  the  Airedale,  the  Scottish  and  the  Irish,  the  Bedlington  and  the  Dandie, 
the  black-and-tan  and  the  fox-terriers. 

The  footsteps  of  the  production  of  all  these  varieties  will  never  be 
traced,  but  here  is  Darwin's  elucidation  of  the  principle  of  the  establishing 
of  varieties  of  the  domestic  dog: 

"A  breed,  like  a  dialect  of  a  language,  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  a 
distinct  origin.  A  man  preserves  and  breeds  from  an  individual  with  some 
slight  deviation  of  structure,  or  takes  more  care  than  is  usual  in  mating  his 
best  animals,  and  thus  improves  them,  and  the  improved  animals  slowly 
spread  in  the  immediate  neighborhood.  But  they  will  as  yet  hardly  have 
a  distinct  name,  and  from  being  slightly  valued  their  history  will  have  been 
disregarded.  When  further  improved  by  the  same  slow  and  gradual  pro- 
cess they  will  spread  more  widely  and  will  be  recognised  as  something 
distinct  and  valuable,  and  will  then  probably  first  receive  a  provincial 
name.  In  semi-civilised  countries,  with  little  free  communication,  the 
spreading  of  a  new  sub-breed  would  be  a  slow  process.  As  soon  as  the 
points  of  value  are  once  acknowledged,  the  principle,  as  I  have  called  it,  of 
unconscious  selection  will  always  tend — perhaps  more  at  one  period  than  at 
another,  according  to  the  state  of  civilisation  of  the  inhabitants—  slowly  to 
add  to  the  characteristic  features  of  the  breed,  whatever  it  may  be.  But 
the  chances  will  be  infinitely  small  of  any  record  having  been  preserved  of 
such  slow,  varying,  and  insensible  changes." 

The  most  prominent  exponent  of  the  wolf  theory  was  the  emment 
naturalist  Mr.  Bell,  who  wrote  on  the  subject  over  half  a  century  ago.  'Tn 
order  to  come  to  any  rational  conclusion  on  this  head,"  writes  Mr.  Bell, 
"it  will  be  necessary  to  ascertain  to  what  type  the  animal  approaches  most 
closely,  after  having  for  many  successive  generations  existed  in  a  wild 
state,  removed  from  the  influences  of  domestication,  and  of  association  with 
mankind.  Now  we  find  that  there  are  several  instances  of  dogs  in  such  a 
state  of  wildness  as  to  have  lost  that  common  character  of  domestication, 
variety  of  color  and  marking.  Of  these,  two  very  remarkable  ones  are  the 
Dhole  of  India  and  the  Dingoe  of  Australia;  there  is  besides  a  half-reclaimed 


8  The  Dog  Book 

race  among  the  Indians  of  North  America,  and  another,  also  partially 
tamed,  in  South  America,  which  deserve  attention.  It  is  found  that  these 
races,  in  different  degrees,  and  in  a  greater  degree  as  they  are  more  wild, 
exhibit  the  lank  and  gaunt  form,  the  lengthened  limbs,  the  long,  slender 
muzzle,  and  the  comparative  strength,  which  characterise  the  wolf;  and 
that  the  tail  of  the  Australian  dog,  which  may  be  considered  as  the  most 
remote  from  a  state  of  domestication,  assumes  the  slight  bushy  form  of  that 
animal.  We  have  here,  then,  a  considerable  approximation,  to  a  well- 
known  wild  animal  of  the  same  genus,  in  races  which,  though  doubtless 
descended  from  domestic  ancestors,  have  gradually  assumed  the  wild 
condition;  and  it  is  worthy  of  especial  remark  that  the  anatomy  of  the 
wolf,  and  its  osteology  in  particular,  does  not  differ  from  that  of  the  dogs  in 
general  more  than  the  different  kinds  of  dogs  from  each  other."  The 
only  difference  in  structure  which  Mr.  Bell  admits  of  is  the  eye,  the  forward 
direction  of  which  in  the  dog  as  opposed  to  the  oblique  in  the  wolf  he  attrib- 
utes to  the  "constant  habit  for  many  generations  of  looking  toward  their 
master,  and  obeying  his  voice."  He  also  points  to  the  possibility  of  their 
interbreeding,  and  asserts  that  their  progeny  is  fertile. 

The  evidence  is  all  on  the  side  of  the  impossibility  of  the  dog  and 
wolf  and  dog  and  jackal  crosses  to  breed  inter  se,  however  fertile  the  progeny 
may  be  when  bred  back  to  either  side  of  the  cross;  but  what  if  this  inter  se 
fertility  was  established,  how  much  further  would  it  go  than  merely  to 
accord  with  the  non-controvertible  statement  that  while  distinct  they  so 
closely  approach  each  other  as  to  be  capable  of  producing  fertile  hybrids. 
But  as  a  matter  of  fact  this  point  is  still  unproved. 

Mr.  Bell's  claim  that  the  various  wild  dogs  are  the  descendants  of  do- 
mesticated dogs,  or  in  other  words  are  feral  dogs,  and  that  they  all  closely 
resemble  the  wolf,  will  not  stand  investigation.  What  could  possibly  be 
the  origin  of  the  Dingo.  He  was  there  when  Australia  was  discovered  by 
Europeans,  and  in  no  part  of  the  country  was  there  the  slightest  evidence  of 
his  being  or  having  ever  been  a  domesticated  animal.  Then  again,  if  all 
came  originally  from  the  wolf,  why  is  it  that  not  one  of  the  wild,  untamable, 
irreclaimable  varieties  do  not  breed  back  to  their  origin  and  become  wolves  .? 
They  stop  at  being  dogs,  and  while  wolves  are  gray  in  colour  all  wild  dogs  are 
reddish.  The  Eskimo  is  gray,  but  we  hold  that  he  is  a  dog  and  not  a  re- 
claimed wolf. 

There  is  a  great  deal  for  us  to  learn  yet  regarding  these  northern 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  9 

latitude  dogs,  as  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  Prince  Andrew  Shirinsky 
ShihmatofF  divides  the  varieties  found  in  the  Russian  Empire  into  no  less 
than  ten  divisions.  In  1896  he  published  for  the  benefit  of  a  Moscow 
charitable  institution  an  album  full  of  beautiful  reproductions  of  the  various 
divisions  of  what  he  called  Laikas.  The  copy  we  have  seen  had  an  intro- 
duction in  English,  but  there  was  no  description  of  the  various  varieties  or 
of  the  photographs  beyond  the  name  of  the  variety.  In  the  introduction 
Prince  ShihmatofF  stated  that  he  had  purchased  hundreds  of  the  Laikas  from 
all  over  the  empire  and  studied  them  carefully,  with  the  result  that  he  gave 
names  to  eleven  species — in  European  Russia,  the  Finno,  Korel,  Lapland, 
Cheremiss,  Zorian,  and  Vogool;  and  in  Siberia  the  Samoyed,  Ostiah,  Bash- 
kir, Tunguse,  and  Chootch.  All  possessed  the  same  general  characteristics 
which  we  would  call  Eskimo — that  is,  the  dense  coat,  erect  ears  and  tightly 
curled  tail.  In  many  of  the  photographs  the  tail  was  not  so  curled,  but  that 
is  not  an  unusual  thing  in  dogs  standing.  Any  hound  almost,  when  it 
stands,  will  drop  its  stern,  but  raise  it  at  once  to  the  conventional  hound 
position  when  in  motion.  Not  one  of  these  Laikas  approached  any  closer 
to  the  wolf  than  did  his  close  relatives,  so  that  there  is  a  strict  dividing  line 
between  dog  and  wolf  that  nature  does  not  cross.  Not  alone  that,  but  we 
do  not  find  wolves  attacking  each  other,  nor  dogs  going  on  marauding 
parties  against  their  kin,  but  between  the  wolf  and  the  dog  the  animosity  is 
intense.  Journals  of  Arctic  voyages  give  many  instances  of  wolves  attacking 
the  dogs.  Captain  Parry,  in  the  journal  of  his  second  voyage,  writes: 
"A  flock  of  thirteen  wolves,  the  first  yet  seen,  crossed  the  bay  from  the 
direction  of  the  huts  and  passed  the  ships.  These  animals,  as  we  after- 
ward learned,  had  accompanied  the  Eskimos  on  their  journey  to  the 
island  on  the  preceding  day,  and  they  proved  to  us  the  most  troublesome 
part  of  their  suite.  These  animals  were  so  hungry  and  fearless  as  to  take 
away  some  of  the  Eskimo  dogs  in  a  snow  house  near  the  Heclas  stern, 
though  the  men  were  at  the  time  within  a  few  yards  of  them."  He  also 
tells  that  on  one  occasion  a  Newfoundland  dog  was  being  enticed  to  play 
with  some  wolves  on  the  ice,  and  would  doubtless  have  fallen  a  victim  to 
them  had  not  some  of  the  sailors  gone  to  him  and  brought  him  back.  Mr. 
Broke,  in  his  record  of  Swedish  travels,  states  that  during  his  journey  from 
Tornea  to  Stockholm  he  heard  everywhere  of  the  ravages  committed  by 
wolves.  "Not,"  he  says,  "upon  the  human  species  or  the  cattle,  but 
chiefly  upon  the  peasants'  dogs,  considerable  numbers  of  which  have  been 


lo  The  Dog  Book 

devoured.  I  was  told  that  they  were  the  favourite  prey  of  this  animal,  and 
that  in  order  to  seize  upon  them  with  the  greater  ease  it  puts  itself  into  a 
crouching  position,  and  begins  to  play  several  antics  to  attract  the  attention 
of  the  poor  dog,  which,  caught  by  these  seeming  demonstrations  of  friend- 
ship, and  fancying  it  to  be  done  by  one  of  its  own  species  from  the  similarity, 
advances  toward  it  to  join  in  the  gambols  and  is  carried  off  by  its  treacherous 
enemy.  Several  peasants  that  I  have  conversed  with  mentioned  their 
having  been  eye  witnesses  of  this  circumstance." 

In  English  books  in  any  way  treating  of  the  origin  of  the  dog,  reference 
is  always  made  to  the  breed  kept  by  the  Hare  Indians  of  the  Mackenzie 
River.  We  know  nothing  of  them  beyond  what  Dr.  Richardson,  who  with 
Sir  John  Franklin  took  some  to  England  from  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Mackenzie  River,  told  at  the  time,  and  the  description  of  the  specimens 
taken  to  the  Zoological  Gardens  in  London.  Dr.  Richardson  was  of  the 
opinion  that  this  species  was  spread  over  the  northern  parts  of  America, 
but  being  only  fitted  for  the  chase,  it  had  since  the  introduction  of  guns  given 
way  to  the  mongrel  Eskimo -Newfoundland.  That  is  guesswork,  of 
course,  but  the  description  given  of  the  dogs  in  the  London  gardens  is  not. 
They  had  an  elongated,  pointed  muzzle,  sharp,  erect  ears,  and  a  bushy  tail 
not  carried  erect,  but  only  slightly  curved  upward,  and  were  of  general  slen- 
derness  of  contour.  According  to  those  who  took  them  to  England,  these 
dogs  ran  the  moose  and  deer  on  the  crusted  ice  and  held  them  at  bay  till  the 
hunters  arrived.  They  were  quite  fox-like  in  appearance,  with  no  resem- 
blance to  the  wolf,  and  if  crossed  with  anything,  or  descended  from  any 
wild  animal,  it  must  have  been  the  fox.  They  interbred  freely  with  the 
Eskimo  and  other  varieties  of  dogs,  so  that  we  have  to  face  the  anomaly  that 
as  descendants  of  fox  and  wolf  interbred  they  must  be  of  identical  species. 

If  we  turn  to  what  we  know  are  wild  dogs,  there  is  little  help  for  the 
wolf  theory.  There  is  the  Dingo,  more  dog-like  than  wolf-like  in  many 
points,  and  reddish,  or  what  would  pass  for  a  "sable"  in  the  collie.  In 
India  there  are  several  varieties  of  wild  dogs  with  which  naturalists  have 
been  well  acquainted  for  many  years — in  fact,  it  is  probable  that  the  oppor- 
tunities for  obtaining  information  regarding  them  was  better  fifty  years  ago 
than  now.  Mr.  Hodgson  gave  the  name  of  Canis  primcevus  to  the  Buansu 
of  Nepal,  its  range  being  between  the  Sutlege  and  Brahmapootra.  Mr. 
Hodgson,  however,  stated  that  with  immaterial  differences  its  range  was 
much  further  extended.     He  had  obtained  many  specimens  and  kept  some 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  ii 

in  confinement  for  several  months  in  order  to  study  them.  Some  of  these 
produced  young  while  in  his  possession.  From  the  "Proceedings"  of  the 
Zoological  Society  for  1833  we  extract  as  follows:  "The  Buansu  preys  at 
night  as  well  as  by  day  and  hunts  in  packs  of  six  to  ten  individuals,  main- 
taining the  chase  rather  by  powers  of  smell  than  by  the  eye,  and  generally 
overcoming  its  quarry  by  force  and  perseverance.  In  hunting  it  barks  like 
a  hound,  but  its  bark  is  peculiar  and  unlike  that  of  the  cultivated  breeds  of 
dogs  and  the  strains  of  the  jackal  and  the  fox.  Adults  in  captivity  made 
no  approach  toward  domestication,  but  a  young  one,  which  Mr. Hodgson 
obtained  when  it  was  not  more  than  a  month  old,  became  sensible  of  caresses, 
distinguished  the  dogs  of  its  own  kennel  from  others,  as  well  as  its  keepers 
from  strangers,  and  in  its  whole  conduct  manifested  to  the  full  as  much 
intelligence  as  any  of  his  sporting  dogs  of  the  same  age."  Following  the 
account  of  this  dog  the  following  note  appears:  A  letter  was  read,  ad- 
dressed to  the  Secretary,  by  W.  A.  Wooler,  Esq.,  giving  an  account  of  a 
wild  dog  in  the  Presidency  of  Bombay,  locally  known  as  "Dhale,"  which 
was  probably  a  misspelling  of  the  more  usual  word,  "Dhole."  The  habits 
of  this  dog  were  described  by  Mr.  Wooler  and  were  similar  to  those  of  the 
Buansu. 

Colonel  Sykes,  an  extensive  traveller  and  keen  sportsman,  writing  in 
1 83 1,  described  the  variety  named  by  him  Cams  Duckhunensis,  which  he 
said  was  the  wild  dog  of  Dukhun,  or  Deccan.  "Its  head  is  compressed 
and  elongated,  its  nose  not  very  sharp.  The  eyes  are  oblique,  the  pupils 
round,  the  irides  light-brown.  The  expression  is  that  of  a  coarse,  ill- 
natured  Persian  greyhound,  without  any  resemblance  to  the  jackal,  the 
fox,  or  the  wolf;  and  in  consequence  essentially  distinct  from  the  Cants 
Quao,  or  Sumatrensis  of  General  Hardwicke.  Ears  long,  erect,  and  some- 
what rounded  at  the  top,  without  any  replication  of  the  tragus.  Limbs 
remarkably  large  and  strong  in  relation  to  the  bulk  of  the  animal,  its  size 
being  intermediate  between  the  wolf  and  the  jackal."  This  dog  was  called 
Kolsun  by  the  natives,  and  some  two  years  later  Colonel  Sykes  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  compare  some  of  them  with  the  Buansu.  The  report  thereon 
appears  in  the  "Transactions"  of  the  Asiatic  Society  for  1834:  "And  showed 
that  the  two  dogs  are  perfectly  similar  in  their  general  form  and  in  the 
form  of  the  cranium,  and  that  in  his  specimen,  as  well  as  that  of  Mr.  Hodg- 
son, the  hinder  tubercular  tooth  of  the  lower  jaw  was  wanting."  There 
was  a  difference  in  their  coats,  that  of  the  Buansu  being  darker  and  denser. 


12  The  Dog  Book 

We  may  therefore  hold  that  these  two  and  the  dhole  are  of  the  same  variety, 
slightly  changed  in  accordance  with  the  climatic  conditions.  Dhole  is 
a  term  very  generally  applied  to  dogs  of  India  and  the  East  Indies.  One 
of  these  also  called  Quidoe,  and  known  to  naturalists  as  Cants  Scylax,  is 
described  as  much  more  slender  than  the  Kolsun,  with  a  sharper  muzzle 
and  a  longer  and  much  less  bushy  tail.  Its  habits  seemed  to  have  been 
similar.  The  Cants  Sumatrensis  mentioned  as  having  been  described  by 
General  Hardwicke  was  a  small,  fox-like  dog  with  smaller  ears  and  of  a 
reddish  colour.  Java  had  a  dog  as  large  as  a  wolf,  of  a  reddish-yellow  colour. 
Then  there  was  the  Wahy  a  central  and  southern  India  dhole,  with  a  large, 
broad,  flat  head  and  black  muzzle,  a  ferocious-looking,  heavily  built  dog 
with  a  rather  short  tail,  tan-coloured,  with  white  underparts  and  dark  tip  to 
tail.     This  dog  hunted  in  packs  and  was  said  to  have  a  deep,  growling  bay. 

Colonel  C.  Hamilton  Smith  tells  of  an  officer  who  had  traversed  the 
mountains  of  southeastern  Persia,  and  there  saw  wild  dogs  called  Beluch, 
which  may  be  the  Beluel,  described  by  another  writer.  These  dogs  were 
of  a  red  colour,  shy  and  ferocious,  rather  low  on  the  legs  and  long  in  the 
body,  with  a  hairy  tail,  and  powerful-looking  dogs.  The  natives  told  this 
officer  that  to  the  west  there  was  a  larger  dog,  with  so  much  white  that  the 
colour  on  the  back  appeared  in  spots  or  blotches. 

We  also  know  that  those  who  visited  various  parts  of  this  continent  for 
the  first  time,  discovered  it  in  fact  or  followed  immediately  after  the  first 
discoverers,  found  the  inhabitants  in  possession  of  dogs  and  packs  of  wild 
dogs,  "  Chiens  des  BoisT  as  BufFon  calls  them. 

Now,  why  did  not  these  various  wild  dogs,  or  at  least  some  of  them,  go 
back  to  the  wolf,  if,  as  some  would  have  it,  the  wolf  was  the  progenitor 
of  the  dog,  and  that  these  wild  dogs  are  feral,  descendants  of  animals  which, 
originally  wolves,  had  been  domesticated  \  The  coyote  is  seemingly  the 
connecting  link  between  the  dog  and  the  wolf,  but  he  remains  a  coyote,  with 
closely-touching  kin  on  either  hand,  distinct,  but  so  closely  related  that 
interbreeding  is  possible,  though  the  produce  is  only  fertile  with  the  parent 
stock. 

Leaving  the  speculative  part  of  dog  history,  we  will  now  begin  with  the 
actual  records.  In  an  Egyptian  tomb  of  the  Fourth  Dynasty,  somewhere 
about  3,500  B.  c,  we  have  clear  evidence  of  the  existence  of  the  dog  as  used 
for  hunting.  This  is  the  tomb  of  Amten,  and  in  it  were  found  many  excel- 
lently outlined  figures  of  animals.    The  dog  appears  in  three  scenes — attack- 


5  s 

2  z 

6.  — * 

K  < 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  13 

ing  a  deer  in  two  cases,  and  in  the  other  an  animal  with  horns  which  would 
look  well  on  a  Rocky  Mountain  goat.  In  each  case  the  attack  is  at  the 
rear,  either  the  hock  or  the  buttock.  These  dogs  are  all  of  the  same  type, 
with  large,  erect  ears,  greyhound  formation,  and  a  tight  ring-tail  just  clear 
of  the  back  outline.  This  type  of  dog  appears  throughout  the  Egyptian 
series  of  sculptures  and  paintings,  and  is  called  by  writers  on  Ancient  Egypt 
the  fox-dog,  though  it  is  unlike  a  fox  in  everything  but  the  erect  ears,  which 
are  always  made  very  large.  In  this  tomb,  among  the  other  animals  of  a 
dog-like  appearance,  are  the  jackal  and  the  hyena,  the  former  being  shown 
with  a  long,  pendulous  tail,  and  the  latter  being  easily  picked  out  by  his 
elevated  fore-quarters  and  the  drooping  outline  to  the  rump. 

The  fox-dog  is  frequently  shown  with  a  double-ring  tail,  and  possibly 
varied  in  size,  but  it  is  always  difficult  to  estimate  comparative  size  in  these 
representations  for  the  reason  that  there  is  a  good  deal  of  conventionality 
in  the  drawings,  the  light  greyhound  formation  of  body  being  followed  for 
dogs  that  must  have  been  of  much  heavier  frame.  Prior  to  the  close  of 
the  Fifth  Dynasty,  set  down  by  some  as  closing  3,333  B.  c,  names  appear 
in  connection  with  the  dogs  shown,  such  as  Abu,  Ken,  Tarn,  Akna,  and 
many  others,  and  it  was  not  for  many  years  that  other  domestic  animals 
were  given  names  in  this  manner. 

It  is  not  quite  safe  to  assume  that,  because  this  is  the  only  type  of  dog 
shown,  there  was  no  other.  We  might  with  equal  force  assume  the  same 
at  a  far  later  stage  in  history,  and  at  a  time  when  we  well  know  that  there 
were  many  varieties.  It  is  an  assured  position  to  take  when  we  hold  that 
the  watch-dog  for  the  flock  must  have  been  one  of  the  earliest  breeds,  and 
that  this  would  be  a  heavier  dog  than  the  antelope-hunter.  Rawlinson 
holds  that,  in  the  Sixth  Dynasty,  terminating  3,066  b.  c,  a  terrier-like  dog 
is  found  among  the  relics,  and  he  gives  an  illustration  of  it.  It  certainly 
does  look  a  little  more  terrier-like  than  the  others,  with  smaller  ears  and  a 
hound-carried  tail,  but  the  difference  is  not  very  pronounced;  though  if  it 
has  been  found  in  connection  with  larger  dogs,  it  might  be  well  to  allow  the 
claim.  However,  not  long  after  this  period  we  do  find  a  very  clear  case  of 
differentiation  of  type  shown  in  the  tomb  of  Antafee,  3,000  b.  c.  This 
monarch  is  represented  with  four  dogs  at  his  feet.  Three  dogs,  one  above 
the  other,  are  shown  in  front  of  the  forward  leg,  and  the  fourth  between 
his  legs.  Three  different  drawings  of  this  bas-relief  have  been  examined 
and  all  differ.     However,  we  have  a  specially-prepared  paper  by  Dr.  Birch, 


14  The  Dog  Book 

of  the  British  Museum,  exhibiting  individual  drawings  upon  which  he  bases 
some  deductions  as  to  the  breeds  represented. 

The  upper  dog  is  a  strong,  hound-looking  animal,  with  drop-ears;  his 
name  is  given  as  Behka,  and  he  is  a  white  gazelle-dog.  The  Arabs  still 
have  light-coloured  dogs  for  this  purpose. 

Dr.  Talcott  Williams,  of  Philadelphia,  who  has  travelled  in  the  Orient 
and  northern  Africa,  writes:  "The  earliest  reference  to  a  hunting  dog  that 
I  know  of  in  Arabia,  is  the  large  greyhound  'Selugi.'  The  'g'  is  hard. 
This  is  a  large  greyhound,  light-coloured.  I  mean  by  that,  almost  as  light 
as  the  lighter  parts  of  a  dark  pointer,  but  with  the  short-haired  greyhound 
coat  distinctly.  He  stands  high  and  is  big  enough  to  make  short  work  of 
a  gazelle  or  to  drag  down  a  wild  ass.  The  Arab  tradition  is  that  the  name 
of  this  dog  is  derived  from  "  Seleucus  Nicator,"  the  founder  of  the  Syrian 
Monarchy  of  the  Antiochaedae.  He  seems  to  have  brought  there  the  large 
hunting  dog  of  Macedonia." 

Another  of  the  dogs  is  Pehtes,  black,  which  Dr.  Birch  puts  down  as  a 
mastiff;  another,  according  to  his  name,  was  a  spotted  dog  or  parti-coloured, 
and  the  dog  between  the  legs  both  Dr.  Birch  and  Mr.  Bartlett  claim  to  be 
of  Dalmatian  type.  It  is  presumptuous,  perhaps,  to  question  the  opinions 
of  gentlemen  who  have  the  original  at  their  command,  but  Mr.  Bartlett  is 
speaking  with  the  sketches  as  his  guide,  and  the  one  they  say  is  a  Dalmatian 
is  a  square-muzzled,  prick-eared  dog,  quite  of  the  type  seen  in  the  Assyrian 
relics  as  dogs  of  Asurbanipal,  and  shown  later  in  the  molossus  at  Athens. 
The  black  mastiff  has  a  decided  resemblance  to  the  hound  on  the  terra- 
cotta tablet,  also  an  Assyrian  "exhibit"  on  another  page,  which  is  possibly 
the  original  of  the  Thibet  mastiff  of  our  day.  Egypt  was  a  far-advanced, 
flourishing  country  at  this  time,  and  doubtless  drew  upon  many  distant 
lands  for  novelties.  That  dogs  were  so  received  is  shown  by  a  coloured 
painting  from  the  tomb  of  Redmera  at  Thebes,  representing  the  receipt 
of  tribute  from  different  parts  of  Asia.  Eight  dogs  form  part  of  this  con- 
signment, and  although  there  are  four  varieties,  they  are  all  very  conven- 
tional as  to  shape,  drawn  one  beyond  the  other,  with  only  the  outline  of 
each  dog  showing  in  most  cases.  There  is  first  one  of  hound  type;  then 
the  prick-eared,  curled-tail  greyhound  type,  and  two  self-coloured,  dark 
dogs,  with  blunter  muzzles,  while  the  far  dog  in  the  front  line  of  five  shows 
a  spotted  leg.  The  Egyptians  occasionally  painted  their  dogs  fancifully: 
red  and  blue  was  one  artist's  combination,  another  used  a  yellow  for  the 


V  m^-^ 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  15 

body  colour  and  spotted  it,  while  another  showed  something  original  in  a 
dog  with  red  eyes,  but  an  emerald-green  dog  with  a  red  head  shown  in  a 
funeral  cortege  is  a  combination  of  animal  colour  hard  to  beat. 

When  we  reach  the  Twelfth  Dynasty,  2266  b.  c,  we  find  the  first 
greatest  variance  in  a  long,  short-legged  dog  of  dachshund  type,  black-and- 
tan  seemingly,  with  some  white  markings.  Wilkinson  says  this  dog  was  a 
particular  house  favourite  in  the  time  of  Usertssem,  and  he  thinks  the  fancy 
of  a  monarch  had  something  to  do  with  varieties  and  fashions  in  dogs. 
These  varieties  doubtless  had  their  origin  in  freaks  of  nature.  A  few  years 
ago  a  toy  collie  was  shown  in  Edinburgh  and  we  had  one  a  short  time  ago 
which  the  youth  of  the  family  very  well  described  when  he  wrote:  "It  has 
a  head  like  an  alligator  and  legs  like  a  dachshund." 

It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  Egyptian  god  Anubis  is  shown 
with  a  dog's  or  jackal's  head,  and  it  is  equally  well  known  that  the  dog 
was  looked  upon  with  veneration  in  Egypt,  and  the  death  of  one  caused  the 
family  to  go  into  mourning. 

It  was  this  veneration  of  the  dog  in  Egypt  and  other  countries  that 
caused  it  to  be  declared  unclean  by  the  Hebrews,  who  regarded  it  as  a  foreign 
god.  That  they  had  dogs  both  for  practical  uses  and  as  pets  in  the  house 
cannot  be  gainsaid,  notwithstanding  their  employment  of  the  name  as  a 
term  of  reproach.  Job  speaks  of  the  dogs  of  his  flocks.  At  the  time  of  the 
Exodus  it  was  promised  that  not  a  dog  would  move  his  tongue — that  is,  the 
Egyptian  watch-dogs.  The  evidence  of  dogs  about  the  house  is  found  in 
the  story  of  the  woman  of  Canaan  to  whom  Christ  said:  "It  is  not  meet  to 
take  the  children's  bread  and  cast  it  to  the  dogs,"  to  which  she  answered: 
"Truth,  Lord,  yet  the  dogs  (here  is  used  a  different  Greek  word  from  that 
in  the  previous  verse)  eat  of  the  crumbs  which  fall  from  the  master's  table." 
Mark  gives  the  woman's  response  more  pointedly  when  he  puts  it:  "Yes, 
Lord,  yet  the  dogs  under  the  table  eat  of  the  children's  crumbs." 

The  references  in  the  Old  Testament  regarding  the  eating  of  dead 
bodies,  or  the  curse  of  being  devoured  by  dogs,  probably  had  their  origin 
or  foundation  in  the  funeral  customs  of  other  nations.  The  Iranians  had 
rites  in  which  the  dog  figured  prominently  in  the  dispersion  of  evil  spirits, 
being  made  to  follow  the  corpse,  which  was  then  thrown  away  to  be  devoured 
by  dogs  and  vultures.  Yet  the  dog  was  more  highly  thought  of  by  the 
Iranians  than  by  any  other  nation  of  antiquity.  In  the  Zend-Avesta,  the 
religious  book  of  Zoroaster,  the  dog  is  treated  of  at  length. 


i6  The  Dog  Book 

"Whoever  shall  smite  a  shepherd-dog,  or  a  house-dog,  or  a  Vohunazgar 
dog,  or  a  trained  dog  [probably  a  hunting  dog],  his  soul  shall  fly  amid 
louder  bowlings  and  fiercer  pursuing  than  the  sheep  does  when  the  wolf 
rushes  upon  it  in  the  lofty  forest." 

Penalties  are  set  forth  in  detail  for  injuries  to  dogs.  In  the  case  of  a 
shepherd's  dog  the  man  committing  the  injury  must  pay  for  any  lost  sheep, 
also  for  the  wounding  of  the  dog.  If  a  house-dog  was  killed,  the  killer  had 
to  pay  for  any  lost  goods  and  for  the  dog.  In  addition  to  which  for  killing 
a  sheep-dog  he  received  eight  hundred  stripes  with  the  Aspahe-ashtra,  and 
the  same  with  the  Srasho-carana.  For  killing  a  house-dog  seven  hundred 
of  each. 

"O  Maker  of  the  Material  World,  thou  Holy  One,  which  is  the  dog  that 
must  be  called  a  shepherd's  dog  ? 

*'Ahura  Mazda  answered:  *It  is  the  dog  who  goes  a  Yugyesta  round 
about  the  fold,  watching  for  the  thief  and  the  wolf.'" 

Other  questions  are  then  answered  as  follows: 

"Ahura  Mazda  answered:  'It  is  the  dog  that  goes  a  Hathra  round 
about  the  house,  watching  for  the  thief  and  the  wolf.' 

"Ahura  Mazda  answered:  *It  is  the  dog  who  claims  none  of  these 
talents,  and  only  seeks  for  his  subsistence.'" 

No  reference  is  made  in  this  special  part  as  to  the  trained  dog  previously 
mentioned,  and  we  have  in  this  last  dog  what  may  either  be  the  vagrant 
or  the  house  pet.  If  the  former,  it  shows  that  even  they  were  not  outcasts. 
Penalties  were  prescribed  as  follows  for  giving  bad  food  to  a  dog:  If  to  a 
sheep-dog,  a  punishment  similar  to  that  imposed  if  such  food  had  been 
given  to  a  noble;  if  to  a  watch-dog,  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  a  middle- 
class  citizen;  the  third  section  was  placed  as  equal  to  a  priest — not  a  very 
high  placing  of  the  priest,  and  this  is  taken  by  some  to  indicate  that  these 
dogs  were  wanderers  and  had  no  settled  abode,  the  priests  being  of  that 
class. 

The  section  containing  the  foregoing  extracts  concludes  as  follows: 
"  For  it  is  the  dog,  of  all  creatures  of  the  good  spirit,  that  most  quickly  decays 
into  age,  while  not  eating  near  eating  people,  and  watching  goods  none  of 
which  he  receives.  Bring  ye  unto  him  milk  and  fat  with  meat;  that  is  the 
food  for  a  dog."  Elsewhere  we  read:  "Whenever  one  eats  bread  one  must 
put  aside  three  mouthfuls  and  give  them  to  the  dog  .  .  .  for  among 
all  the  poor  there  is  none  poorer  than  the  dog.'* 


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Early  History  of  the  Dog  17 

Of  the  five  sins  set  forth  in  the  Avesta  which  caused  the  committer  to 
be  a  Peshotanu,  two  concerned  dogs — one  for  giving  bones  that  were  too 
hard  or  food  too  hot,  the  other  for  smiting  a  bitch  big  with  young,  or  frighten- 
ing her  so  that  she  met  with  an  accident  or  died.  This  book  of  the  Iranians 
also  states  how  puppies  were  to  be  cared  for,  and  gives  instructions  as  to 
the  best  method  of  breeding  to  secure  healthy  puppies — a  method,  we  may 
remark,  which  would  be  most  disastrous  to  breeding  for  a  distinct  type,  as 
it  necessitated  the  use  of  three  different  dogs. 

The  date  of  the  Zend-Avesta  is  still  a  matter  of  doubt,  parts  of  it  belong- 
ing to  different  ages  and  some  undoubtedly  very  ancient.  Originally  it  com- 
prised twenty-one  books,  but  only  three  complete  and  fragments  of  others 
have  been  preserved.  The  division  from  which  the  above  quotations  are 
taken  is  the  Vendidad  or  Zoroastrian  Pentateuch,  which  is  divided  into 
Fargards  or  chapters.  The  one  especially  devoted  to  dogs,  as  shown  by 
the  citations,  is  Fargard  II,  but  the  animal  is  mentioned  a  number  of  times 
elsewhere,  especially  in  connection  with  the  dead. 

According  to  the  traditional  date  now  more  generally  accepted,  Zoroaster 
lived  660-583  B.  c,  but  some  writers  assign  an  earlier  date.  However, 
it  is  very  certain  that  these  penalties  and  rites  were  not  the  inauguration  of  a 
new  creed,  but  the  placing  on  record  of  customs  of  unknown  age. 

So  also  in  the  Rig- Veda,  the  very  oldest  of  Aryan  literature,  the  dog  is 
prominently  mentioned.  Brunnhofer  made  the  claim  that  it  was  composed 
prior  to  the  migration  of  the  Aryans  southward  into  India,  and  he  based 
his  argument  in  part  on  one  man's  having  a  family  name  which  meant  dog, 
and  must  have  betokened  a  "dog-revering  Iranian."  Professor  E.  W. 
Hopkins  took  up  the  question,  and  from  his  reply,  which  appeared  in  the 
"American  Journal  of  Philology,"  Vol.  XV.  No.  2,  we  extract  as  follows: 

"In  point  of  fact  in  the  Rig- Veda  we  find  'Dog's  Tail'  as  a  proper 
name,  and  in  the  Brahmanic  period  we  learn  that  a  good  Brahman  gave 
this  canine  name  in  different  forms  to  his  three  sons,  while  still  later 
we  find  'Dog's  Ear'  handed  down  as  a  respectable  name  .  .  .  Even 
were  the  animal  despised,  the  name,  then,  was  not  objectionable. 

"On  investigating  the  matter  we  learn  that  in  the  Rig- Veda  the  dog  is 
the  companion  and  ally  of  man;  the  protector  and  probably  the  inmate  of 
his  house;  a  friend  so  near  that  he  pokes  his  too  familiar  head  into  the  dish 
and  has  to  be  struck  aside  as  a  selfish  creature.  The  chariot  of  the  Maruts 
is  pictured  as  one  drawn  by  dogs,  but  he  is,  at  any  rate,  used  for  hunting 


i8  The  Dog  Book 

(hunting  dog  called  *  boar-desiring,'  vara  hayus)^  and  the  gift  of  a  kennel  of 
one  hundred  dogs  is  gratefully  acknowledged.  .  .  .  Here  is  a  lullaby 
from  the  Rig- Veda  which  shows  on  how  familiar  a  footing  the  dog  stood: 

"Sleep  the  mother,  sleep  the  father, 
Sleep  the  dog,  and  sleep  the  master. 
Sleep  may  all  the  blood  relations, 
Sleef>  the  people  round  about." 

It  is  in  the  Rig- Veda  that  we  read  of  the  good  old  monarch  who  on  his 
death  proceeds  to  heaven  accompanied  by  his  wife,  his  brothers  and  a  dog. 
His  human  companions  drop  off  one  by  one  and  he  reaches  the  end  of  his 
journey  with  only  the  dog.  The  god  appears:  "Enter,  O  King!"  "But 
not  without  this  faithful  dog."  "Desert  the  dog,"  commands  the  god; 
"there  is  no  lack  of  mercy  in  doing  so."  "I  will  either  not  share  in  your 
heavenly  world,  or  share  it  with  this  faithful  attendant,"  is  the  king's  re- 
sponse. The  god  rejoins:  "There  is  no  place  in  heaven  for  men  with 
dogs."  The  king  replies:  "To  desert  a  faithful  friend  is  as  great  a  sin 
as  to  slay  a  priest." 

Indebtedness  is  acknowledged  to  Professor  A.  V.  Williams  Jackson  of 
Columbia  University  for  suggestions  with  regard  to  these  books,  he  being 
the  author  of  "Zoroaster,  the  Prophet  of  Ancient  Iran."  Professor  Jackson, 
who  has  visited  the  Iranian  section  of  Asia  and  examined  the  remains  of 
the  temples  at  Persepolis  and  the  caves  in  the  Taht-i-Bostan  valley,  was  of 
the  opinion  that  perhaps  dogs  were  represented  on  the  bas-relief  of  the  deer- 
hunt  in  the  caves.  This  in  response  to  our  statement  that,  notwithstand- 
ing the  status  of  the  dog  in  ancient  Persia,  we  had  found  no  art  reproduction 
of  one.  On  referring  to  Kiash's  work  as  suggested  by  him  we  discovered 
that  the  illustration  was  one  we  had  studied  and  rejected,  having  found  it 
in  another  work  on  Persian  antiquities. 

There  are  two  bas-reliefs  cut  in  the  rock  in  this  cave,  one  representing 
the  king  on  a  boar-hunt.  The  reproduction  shows  it  to  be  a  well-executed 
piece  of  work,  but  there  is  not  a  dog  to  be  seen.  The  deer-hunt  shows 
that  the  hattue  and  carted  deer  are  not  modern  inventions  of  the  dilettante 
sportsman.  The  king  accompanied  by  his  orchestra  and  a  troupe  of  sing- 
ing girls  is  shown  in  three  different  parts  of  a  large  inclosure.  To  the  right 
of  this  are  three  connecting  pens  containing  deer,  which  are  liberated  and 
driven  into  the  large  enclosure,  and  when  killed  are  thrown  over  the  fence 


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Early  History  of  the  Dog  ig 

to  the  left  by  attendants  and  taken  away  on  camels.  The  two  animals 
which  might  be  taken  for  dogs  are  quite  clear  and  distinct  and  by  them- 
selves at  the  lower  part  of  the  relief.  They  have  collars  with  a  long  ribbon 
like  a  leash.  One  of  the  animals  is  over  the  fence,  and  no  other  animals 
but  the  dead  ones  and  the  camels  are  outside.  The  collars  and  one  hav- 
ing leaped  the  fence  distinguish  them,  but  in  the  outline  of  the  drawing 
they  are  exact  duplicates  of  the  does  seen  higher  on  the  relief:  the  same 
heads,  the  same  deer-like  bodies,  thick  in  the  paunch,  and  the  same  short 
tail.  It  does  not  seem  possible  to  our  mind  for  an  artist  such  as  must 
have  been  engaged  on  this  beautifully  executed  piece  of  work  to  have  erred 
so  conspicuously  in  these  two  animals,  if  he  had  meant  them  for  dogs.  It 
is  a  little  out  of  chronological  order  to  speak  of  Persia  at  this  point,  but 
as  it  can  be  dismissed  as  supplying  no  evidence  it  is  not  of  much  conse- 
quence. 

Turning  to  those  prior  to  what  Rawlinson  calls  the  five  great  monarchies 
of  the  ancient  Eastern  world,  we  find  fewer  traces  of  the  dog  than  in  Egyptian 
antiquities.  Some  of  the  old  cylinders  dating  from  the  time  of  the  Chaldean 
kings,  that  is,  some  two  thousand  years  prior  to  the  Christian  era,  and  the 
Second  or  Medean  Dynasty,  show  animals  which  somewhat  resemble  dogs, 
but  the  crudeness  of  the  engraving  and  the  number  of  figures  on  the  small 
space  render  it  difficult  to  state  with  any  degree  of  positiveness  that  they  are 
dogs.  What  is  stated  by  several  authorities  on  Assyrian  relics  as  possibly 
dating  from  the  first  monarchy  is  the  dog  on  the  terra-cotta  tablet.  There 
are  also  the  dogs  of  the  time  of  Asurbanipal,  some  being  shown  in  the  act 
of  catching  the  wounded  wild  asses,  and  of  these  a  number  of  small  clay 
models  were  found,  each  having  the  name  of  the  individual  dog  in  cuneiform 
characters  on  his  body. 

The  late  Rev.  M.  B.  Wynn  in  his  monogram  on  the  mastiff  held  that 
the  tablet  representation  was  the  old  mastiff,  because  of  the  heavy  flews  and 
hanging  ears.  With  this  we  cannot  agree,  the  model  of  the  named  dog  of 
Asurbanipal  being  the  mastiff  type,  until  modern  breeders  put  on  the 
extra  flews  and  the  later-day  "character,"  as  we  will  show  when  we  come  to 
treat  of  the  mastiff  in  proper  course.  Hewitt's  drawing  of  the  mastiff  of  a 
hundred  years  ago — and  he  was  always  accurate — might  have  been  made 
from  this  Assyrian  clay  model,  but  for  the  hound-tail.  And  as  to  this  tail 
curled  on  the  quarters  as  shown  on  the  tablet,  perhaps  the  modeller  could 
not  fashion  the  hound-carriage  of  tail  in  the  material  he  was  using.     Com- 


20  The  Dog  Book 

pare  also  this  Assyrian  model  with  the  photograph  of  the  molossian  dog  of 
Athens,  in  coat,  muzzle  and  ears,  for  the  molossus,  although  his  ears  are 
broken,  had  them  erect  and  had  a  square  muzzle.  It  cannot  pass  observa- 
tion that  these  dogs  of  Asiatic  representation  differ  from  the  types  shown 
by  the  Egyptian  artists,  who  went  in  for  something  more  like  the  greyhound 
in  conformation. 

Asurbanipal  brings  us  to  667-625  b.  c,  and  by  this  time  we  also 
have  some  beautifully  executed  gem  cylinders  in  which  dogs  are  shown 
of  what  can  best  be  described  as  boar-hound  type  and  possessing  good  sub- 
stance, probably  a  lighter  form  of  the  rnolossian  type,  for  they  would  not 
all  run  alike. 

We  thus  have  in  the  land  of  the  Assyrians  dogs  of  the  Thibet  mastiff 
type;  another  indicating  what  was  later  known  as  the  molossian  or  mastiff; 
a  stout  dog  with  a  small  drop  ear,  and  a  boar-hound  style  of  dog.  It  seems 
somewhat  strange  that  we  can  find  but  one  greyhound,  but  it  is  suggested 
in  one  of  the  books  on  this  country  that  only  the  truly  kingly  sports  are 
depicted :  the  killing  of  the  lion  and  wild  boar,  antelope  and  hare-coursing 
being  left  to  inferiors.  That  being  the  case,  of  course  the  greyhound  was 
also  omitted.  Antelopes  and  such  game  were  caught  and  kept  in  inclosures 
and  tended  by  specially  appointed  servants,  but  the  kings  and  monarchs  are 
shown  only  when  attempting  or  accomplishing  the  most  heroic  deeds.  But 
one  greyhound  model  was  found  at  Nimrud  by  Layard  and  in  the  act  of 
coursing  a  hare. 

Another  author  states  that  the  hound  in  the  leash  with  an  attendant 
must  have  been  four  feet  in  height.  We  have  seen  this  bas-relief,  and  in- 
stead of  being  over  six  feet  tall,  the  man  looks  short  and  thick-set — more 
like  five  feet  seven  inches  in  height.  The  dog  at  the  shoulder  (and  he  has 
rather  high  withers)  falls  short  of  the  man's  thigh-joint  by  two  or  three 
inches,  which  makes  his  height  thirty  inches  at  most.  The  dog  on  the 
tablet  appears  to  be  a  large  an  mal,  but  there  is  nothing  to  serve  as  a  standard 
of  comparison  in  deciding  the  ^^oint.  Dogs  when  put  under  the  tape  shrink 
wonderfully,  and  the  dog  "as  t^ig  as  a  calf,"  Marco  Polo's  dogs  "as  large 
as  asses,"  and  Chaucer's  alauns  "as  big  as  any  steers,"  are  only  immense 
by  reason  of  comparison  with  much  smaller  ones,  while  thirty  inches  would 
doubtless  have  been  too  much  for  any  one  of  them  to  reach. 

The  dog  next  appears  as  a  war  adjunct,  and  on  the  sarcophagus  of 
Clazamanas  is  a  representation  of  the  battle  between  the  Cimmerians  and 


GREYHOUNDS    COURSING         CUT    I.\    STONE 
Cypriote  collection.  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art.  Cemr.l  Park,  New  York 


THE    MOLOSSIAN    DOG    NEAR    ATHENS 
Photograph  of  the  reproduction  in  plaster  now  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art.  Central  Park.  New  York 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  2i 

the  Greeks,  652  b.  c,  wherein  dogs  are  shown  attacking  cavalry  horses, 
they  having  been  taught  to  pin  them  by  the  hams.  Pertaining  to  this 
period  there  is  at  the  Hermitage,  St.  Petersburg,  a  silver  vase,  most  beau- 
tifully decorated  with  an  Iranian  hunting-scene.  One  dog  has  attacked  a 
wild  boar,  and  there  is  another  most  beautifully  outlined  dog  of  boar- 
hound  type. 

Greek  art  has  supplied  many  dogs  for  illustration,  but  there  is  little 
diversity,  which  is  surprising,  considering  that  there  were  a  fair  number 
of  varieties  by  that  time.  We  have  the  greyhound  type  in  plenty,  a  moderate- 
sized  dog  as  depicted  by  the  Greeks,  as  well  as  the  molossian  already  re- 
ferred to.  At  the  Metropolitan  Museum  in  Central  Park  will  be  found  a 
replica  of  the  mural  tablet  at  the  tomb  of  Korallion,  wife  of  Agatha,  at  the 
Dipylon  gate,  Athens.  This  lady  is  represented  facing  left  and  sitting, 
while  facing  her  in  a  low  relief  is  the  figure  of  a  man  whose  costume  extends 
to  the  ground,  and  showing  against  the  bottom  of  this  flowing  garment  is 
a  small  dog  looking  anxiously  up  to  its  mistress.  The  head  of  the  dog 
is  a  good  representation  of  Pomeranian  type,  while  the  body  is  well  covered 
with  a  tufty  coat.  Here  again  the  difficulty  of  showing  a  Pomeranian  coat 
might  have  been  sought  to  be  overcome  by  making  it  more  like  a  poodle's 
coat.  This  dog  was  apparently  very  common,  for  in  *'  Die  Attischen  Grab- 
reliefs,"  Alexander  Conze,  Berlin,  1900,  Vol.  H.,  there  are  about  twenty 
representations  of  toy  dogs,  the  great  majority  being  the  same  small  Pome- 
ranian type,  showing  more  or  less  coat. 

The  Cypriote  collection  at  this  museum  also  provided  another  new 
dog.  This  small  model  has  all  the  look  of  a  spaniel.  The  tail  and  feet 
are  missing,  but  the  head  is  perfect  and  also  the  body.  From  the  wealth  of 
coat,  the  low  feathered  ears  and  the  expression,  this  dog  appears  to  be  most 
characteristically  a  spaniel.  In  this  collection  there  are  also  two  small 
stone  carvings  of  a  greyhound  catching  a  hare,  which  seem  to  form  a  com- 
panion pair.  One  of  the  Greek  type  of  small  greyhound  dogs  also  appears 
in  stone,  and  was  found  at  the  side  of  a  sarcophagus  which  has  at  one  end 
in  bas-relief  a  dog  of  similar  type  and  in  the  same  position.  It  might  be 
that  this  was  a  favourite  dog  of  the  deceased  magnate. 

The  statuary  of  Rome  at  the  Metropolitan  Museum  runs  very  much 
on  the  Greek  order  of  dogs,  but  there  is  also  the  hound-eared  dog,  and  on 
one  small  relief  of  a  youth  training  a  horse  there  is  a  very  handsome  dog 
which  looks  larger  than  the  average  of  these  greyhounds,  and  shows  more 


22  The  Dog  Book 

of  the  boar-hound.  Diogenes  is  represented  with  one  of  the  hanging-eared 
dogs  much  resembling  a  pointer  in  general  character,  and  on  a  silver  plate 
are  two  dogs,  one  a  greyhound  and  the  other  a  hound.  Ganymede  is  shown 
with  a  dog  sitting  by  his  leg,  the  dog  having  a  studded  collar  such  as  Chaucer 
described : 

"Aboute  his  char  ther  wenten  whyte  alaunts, 
Twenty  and  mo,  as  grete  as  any  steer. 
To  hunten  at  the  leoun  or  the  deer 
And  folwed  him,  with  mosel  faste  ybounde, 
Colers  of  gold,  and  torets  fyled  rounde." 

One  thing  could  not  be  overlooked  in  examining  these  representations  of 
Greek  and  Roman  dogs,  and  that  is  that  they  were  of  the  same  average  size, 
excepting  only  the  molossian;  and  in  this  case,  as  the  dog  was  a  monumental 
one,  there  is  no  possibility  of  determining  the  size  of  the  original  in  life.  The 
dog  with  the  youth  may  also  be  excepted.  We  have  then  at  the  Metro- 
politan Museum  over  half  a  dozen  dogs  of  this  greyhound  type,  and  taking 
the  men  as  being  five  feet  eight  inches  high  in  life,  we  may  estimate  these  dogs 
at  about  eighteen  inches  in  height.  A  six-foot  man  measures  twenty  inches 
to  his  knee-pan;  and  with  these  statues  taken  to  represent  men  some  three 
inches  less,  and  not  one  of  the  dogs  standing  higher  than  the  men's  knees, 
makes  them  about  the  height  stated.  Compared  with  the  youth  and  the 
horse  the  dog  shown  on  that  cast  does  seem  taller;  but  what  is  desired  to  be 
shown  at  present  is  that,  in  order  to  accomplish  more  than  the  native  dogs 
when  pitted  against  beasts  in  the  arena,  there  was  no  need  for  the  dogs  from 
Britain  (particularly  the  one  described  as  the  Celtic  greyhound)  to  have 
been  what  we  should  now  call  gigantic  or  very  large. 

We  may  lay  it  down  as  an  axiom  that  no  animals  of  even  semidomesti- 
cation  will  attain  the  same  growth  when  running  wild,  and  that  at  the 
present  time  all  domesticated  animals  bred  with  care  are  larger  than  at  even 
recent  periods.  It  is  the  same  with  well-kept  men.  It  is  customary  to  think 
of  knights  who  fought  in  armour  in  European  wars  as  veritable  giants,  but 
when  the  Hon.  Grantley  Berkeley  and  a  titled  friend  of  his  wished  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  Eglinton  tournament,  held  some  sixty  years  ago,  they  could 
not  find  in  any  armoury  in  England  a  suit  of  armour  into  which  they  could 
squeeze.  True,  they  were  six-footers,  but  so  we  thought  must  have  been 
those  doughty  knights  who  met  in  tournaments  of  old.  Travellers  also  mis- 
lead us  by  using  similes  quite  out  of  place.     The  first  visitors  to  Australia 


A    SMALL    DOG   IN    TERRA    COTTA    HAVING    A    DECIDED    SPANIEL-LIKE    APPEARANCE 
Cypriote  collection.     Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art.  Central  Park.  New  York 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  23 

wrote  of  the  dingoes  as  being  of  the  size  of  mastiffs.  Other  instances  of 
this  exaggeration  in  description  have  already  been  mentioned,  and  we  had 
better  discard  them  as  fanciful  and  look  at  things  rationally,  and  as  far  as 
possible  take  illustrations  from  life  in  place  of  statements. 

The  Assyrian  dogs  might  have  been  thirty  inches  high,  and  that  was 
likely  higher  than  those  of  Egypt.  The  shoulder-height  of  the  ordinary 
gentleman's  dog  of  Greece  and  Rome  was  twenty  inches.  The  late  Colonel 
Stuart  Taylor  had  for  many  years  a  standing  offer  of  one  thousand  dollars 
for  a  dog  of  thirty-four  inches,  and  did  not  withdraw  it  till  he  had  measured 
the  St.  Bernard  "  Rector,"  which  he  would  not  buy  on  account  of  its  con- 
dition, coupled  with  the  pleading  of  the  owner's  wife. 

These  are  facts  and  are  strongly  in  contrast  with  the  frequently  quoted 
statement  in  Goldsmith's  "Animated  Nature,"  that  the  Irish  wolfhounds 
were  four  feet  tall.  That  four-footer,  if  he  was  ever  measured,  must  have 
been  tested  with  "Harry  Reed's  tape."  The  explanation  of  this  remark 
is  that  on  one  occasion  a  sporting  authority  of  that  name  had  to  referee  a 
jumping  competition  in  which  a  man  had  undertaken  to  clear  a  certain 
distance.  Reed  was  paid  to  make  the  man  lose  by  "faking"  the  tape. 
Fortunately  for  the  man.  Reed,  in  place  of  inserting  an  extra  foot  in  the  tape, 
cut  one  out,  and  when  it  came  to  measuring  the  jump,  it  made  a  difference 
of  two  feet  in  the  man's  favour  over  what  was  intended.  For  years  after 
that  when  there  seemed  anything  queer  with  regard  to  a  measured  distance 
in  sporting  matters  in  England,  some  one  would  remark  that  they  must 
have  had  Harry  Reed's  tape,  and  most  assuredly  many  dogs  even  to  this  day 
have  been  measured  with  that  article  in  the  home  kennels. 

Research  on  the  American  continent  has  not  yielded  anything  very 
definite,  there  not  being  the  counterpart  of  the  Egyptian  or  Assyrian  monu- 
ments or  the  contents  of  palaces  or  tombs  to  ransack.  Fossil  remains  are  at 
best  very  indefinite,  and  geologists  tell  of  "true  dogs"  without  being  able 
to  say  much  more  than  what  we  read  of  the  lake-dweller's  marsh-dog. 

It  takes  very  little  harking  back  to  get  to  prehistoric  times  even  in  the 
oldest  parts  of  America — only  to  the  conquest  in  the  sixteenth  century — so 
that  we  have  no  knowledge  as  to  the  age  of  the  mummy  remains  recovered 
from  Colombia  and  the  west  coast  of  South  America.  If  we  only  knew 
something  about  the  dates,  it  would  be  more  interesting  as  to  the  dogs  found 
in  those  despoiled  tombs.  Reiss  and  Stubel  in  their  handsomely  illustrated 
"Necropolis  of  Ancon"  give  one  plate  to  dog-skulls,  and  in  the  accompany- 


24  The  Dog  Book 

ing  brief  explanatory  text  say  that  one  is  something  of  the  turnspit  order, 
another  collie-like,  and  the  third  somewhat  like  a  bulldog  or  pug,  these 
being  presumably  the  three  types  they  recognised. 

From  our  investigations  at  the  Museum  of  Natural  History  we  found 
a  good  deal  beyond  that  unsatisfactory  summarising,  and  the  information 
made  the  lack  of  dates  the  more  to  be  regretted.  There  are  two  complete 
dog  mummies,  unswathed  and  put  in  a  sleeping  position.  They  are  very 
much  dried  out,  particularly  the  larger  one,  which  is  in  "poor  condition," 
to  borrow  a  dog-shower's  phrase.  The  first  examined  was  apparently 
undershot — at  any  rate  we  made  the  memorandum  in  our  notebook  "  ( .?) 
undershot,"  and  this  prior  to  having  seen  "Necropolis  of  Ancon."  The 
query  was  used  because  of  the  doubt  as  to  whether  the  extremity  of  the 
nose  had  not  shrivelled  up  in  drying  out  and  caused  the  retroussi  shape. 
The  teeth  were  exceedingly  large  and  the  dog  must  have  been  a  hard- 
fighting  customer,  if  his  pluck  was  in  keeping  with  his  teeth.  The  head 
was  of  ordinary  size  to  suit  the  dog,  which,  to  judge  from  the  measure- 
ment of  eight  inches  from  elbow  to  extremity  of  toes,  would  make  him 
out  a  dog  of  about  thirteen  inches  at  the  shoulder  and  probably  weighing 
about  twenty  or  twenty-two  pounds.  The  coat  on  this  dog  was  very  much 
plain  "yellow,"  with  but  little  if  any  red  in  the  colour.  It  was  short  on  the 
head,  ears  and  legs,  and  ran  to  an  inch  and  a  half  on  the  body  and  had 
a  harsh,  stiff  feeling.  The  tail  was  tucked  between  the  hind  legs,  but 
was  plainly  shown  as  far  as  the  hocks,  and  was  club-  or  wolf-like  in 
shape  with  longer  hair  than  on  the  body,  and  from  its  shape  it  was  prob- 
ably carried  down.  The  ears  were  small  and  with  forward-falling  tips  like 
a  collie's.  Whether  that  was  their  original  position  in  life  is  a  question  it 
is  not  possible  to  answer  definitely.  They  looked  natural  enough  and  very 
neatly  carried.  It  is  more  likely  that  they  were  button  ears  like  a  fox- 
terrier's  than  pricked  and  now  broken  down.  The  skull  measurements 
were  two  inches  from  nose  to  eye,  and  the  same  from  corner  of  eye  to  ear. 

Mummy  number  two  was  so  large  as  to  force  the  question  as  to  its 
being  a  dog.  The  evidence  was  forthcoming  in  a  disjointed  leg-bone  and 
foot,  which  quite  settled  the  matter.  The  fore-legs  could  not  be  measured, 
nor  the  head,  but  the  leg-bone  detached  and  minus  the  foot  was  good  six 
inches  and  the  shank-bone  was  also  six  inches — a  rather  peculiar  proportion, 
for  a  six-inch  shank-bone  is  more  in  keeping  with  the  lower  leg-bone  of 
some  four  inches.     This  dog  must  have  been  eighteen  inches  at  the  shoulder, 


AKTAION    ATTACKED    BY    HIS    DOGS    WHEN    TURNING    INTO    A    STAG 
m  the  Metropolitaa  Muse.m  of  An.  Centra.  Park,  New  York.    This  is  illustrative  of  the  height  of  dogs  «  shown  in  Greelc  and  Roman  statuarr- 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  25 

and  a  shank-bone  of  six  inches  is  in  keeping  with  a  terrier  of  fourteen  or 
fifteen  inches,  so  that  this  particular  dog  must  have  been  very  straight  in 
hind-legs. 

Tv^^o  well-preserved  skulls  with  coat  in  good  condition  were  also  seen, 
the  ears  not  being  on,  as  the  skin  had  been  severed  immediately  in  front  of 
the  ears  in  each  case.  The  first  head  had  a  lighter-coloured  and  longer  coat 
than  either  of  the  mummies.  The  teeth  were  small,  almost  like  first  puppy- 
teeth,  but  the  canines  were  of  fair  size  and  showed  slight  wear.  The  muzzle 
was  somewhat  blunt,  but  the  teeth  were  perfectly  level.  The  length  from 
eye  to  end  of  nose  was  two  and  one-half  inches.  The  second  head  was 
quite  distinct  in  several  respects,  and  showed  quite  a  lot  of  character.  The 
skull  was  moderately  wide  with  a  well-carried-out  fore-face,  the  type  being 
of  the  fox-terrier  order.  The  length  from  eye  to  teeth,  the  nose  being  miss- 
ing, was  two  and  a  half  inches,  and  over  all  the  head  was  probably  seven 
inches.  The  teeth,  were  strong  and  sound.  The  colour  was  a  warm  red- 
brown,  almost  a  maroon  shade,  with  a  narrow  blaze  up  the  centre  and  a 
flick  of  white  where  the  tan-spot  is  over  the  eye  of  a  black-and-tan  terrier, 
and  white  along  the  lips  to  the  cheeks  as  with  the  tan  on  a  black-and-tan. 
We  presume  these  were  the  dog's  original  colours,  but  we  have  never  seen  a 
dog  so  marked  with  white,  and  it  was  a  very  peculiar  body  colour. 

The  half-dozen  skulls  also  showed  much  difference  in  type.  The  lower 
jaws  in  each  case  were  missing,  and  in  most  of  them  only  some  molars  were 
still  in  the  upper  jaws.  Two  were  from  Colombia,  one  of  ordinary  appear- 
ance, but  the  other  a  beautifully  shaped  one,  quite  Italian  greyhound  in  the 
fineness  of  the  lines.  Each  head  was  five  and  one-half  inches  actual  meas- 
urement of  bone.  From  another  section  of  the  coast  came  a  distinctly 
different  skull.  Across  the  only  two  molars  left  in  the  jaws,  massive  strong 
teeth,  it  measured  two  and  one-half  inches,  and  the  length  of  skull  was  only 
four  and  one-half  inches.  Peluchucco  yielded  two  medium-shaped  skulls 
in  a  good  state  of  preservation,  and  from  Charassani  came  one  of  marked 
difference.  Across  the  molars  from  outside  to  outside  the  width  was  but 
one  inch  and  three-quarters,  while  the  length  of  head-bone  was  six  and  one- 
half  inches.  The  profile  was  very  striking,  there  being  not  the  slightest 
semblance  of  stop,  but  a  perfectly  flat  head  drooping  slightly  to  the  occiput 
— a  miniature  Russian  wolf-hound  head.  From  the  size  of  the  teeth  it  was 
the  head  of  a  mature  dog. 

Taking  these  relics  as  a  whole,  coupled  with  some  fragmentary  bone 


26  The  Dog  Book 

remains,  we  are  safe  in  saying  that  there  were  no  large  dogs  in  that  section 
of  South  America,  but  that  they  ranged  from  twelve  to  eighteen  inches  in 
height,  and  varied  in  type  from  the  square-fronted,  possibly  undershot  jaw, 
to  the  extreme  of  the  borzoi  and  the  fineness  of  the  Italian  greyhound.  It  is 
much  to  be  regretted  that  nothing  more  definite  than  "before  the  conquest" 
can  be  learned  as  to  the  possible  date  of  the  existence  of  these  dogs,  as  it  is 
the  most  interesting  of  all  the  "exhibits,"  bringing  us  into  actual  touch 
with  the  dog  and  not  looking  at  him  through  the  eyes  of  a  conventional 
painter  or  sculptor. 

Of  the  dogs  in  Central  and  South  America  when  first  visited  by  Euro- 
peans we  have  sufficient  data  to  prove  that  there  were  several  varieties. 
Columbus  found  dogs  in  several  of  the  West  India  islands;  Alonso  Harara 
found  domesticated  dogs  in  New  Granada,  and  Garallasso  in  Peru;  Fer- 
nandez describes  two  breeds,  one  of  which  is  called  the  Alco  or  Michua- 
caneus,  and  by  the  natives  Ytzcuinte  Porzotli.  The  name  as  given  us  at  the 
Museum  of  Natural  History  was  Itz-Cuintli;  the  other  breed  was  the  broad- 
footed  Alco,  said  to  be  the  carrier-dog  of  the  country.  The  native  name  was 
the  Techichi,  or  Chichi.  The  fat  alco  was  early  described  as  without  hair, 
resembling  what  the  old  recorders  called  the  Barbary  dog,  undoubtedly  the 
hairless  dog  of  Turkey.  They  said  that  this  fat  alco  was  eaten  by  the 
inhabitants.  We  have  been  told  that  the  hairless  dog  was  an  importation 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  but  he  is  somewhat  of  a  cosmopolitan  and  is  to  be 
found  in  China,  South  Africa,  Turkey,  and  Mexico.  The  Chihuahua  dog, 
we  fully  believe,  is  one  of  the  oldest  breeds  of  dogs  and  is  unique  as  a  Mexican 
production.  With  regard  to  the  orifice  in  the  centre  of  the  skull  in  the 
Chihuahua,  there  is  in  Mivart's  "Monograph  of  the  Canidce'*  an  illustra- 
tion of  a  Japanese  spaniel  skull  with  a  similar  orifice  at  the  junction  of  the 
four  quarters  of  the  skull.  In  speaking  of  the  dogs  of  Central  America, 
Mivart  expressed  the  opinion  that  they  might  have  been  bred  from  wild 
species  of  the  new  continent  or  been  brought  from  Asia  by  man  at  some 
remote  period.  With  regard  to  the  latter  suggestion,  it  must  not  be  over- 
looked that  the  dogs  of  Asia  in  ancient  times,  of  which  we  have  any  informa- 
tion, were  much  larger  and  altogether  different  from  those  found  among 
the  Peruvian  mummies. 

So  also  of  the  wild  dogs.  Buffon,  in  "Hist.  Gen.  des  Antilles,"  Paris, 
1669,  says,  "Those  belonging  to  the  savages  of  the  Antilles  had  the  head 
and  ears  very  long  and  resembled  a  fox  in  appearance."     Again  he  says: 


Early  History  of  the  Dog  27 

"There  are  many  species  which  the  natives  of  Guinea  have  named  Dogs 
of  the  Woods  {Chiens  des  Bots),  because  they  are  not  yet  reduced,  like  our 
dogs,  to  a  state  of  domestication,  and  they  are  thus  rightly  named  dogs, 
because  they  breed  together  with  domestic  races.** 

Colonel  C.  Hamilton  Smith,  whom  we  have  already  quoted  in  connec- 
tion with  the  wild  dogs  of  India,  wrote  also  from  personal  observation  of 
South  American  dogs:  "The  semidomesticated  dogs  of  South  America 
are  sufficiently  tamed  to  accompany  their  masters  on  the  hunt  in  the  forests, 
without,  however,  being  able  to  undergo  much  fatigue;  for  when  they  find 
the  sport  not  to  their  liking,  they  return  home,  and  await  the  return  of  the 
sportsman.  In  domesticity  they  are  excessive  thieves  and  go  to  prowl  in  the 
forest.  There  is  a  particular  and  characteristic  instinct  about  them  to 
steal  and  secrete  objects  without  being  excited  by  any  well-ascertained 
motive.  They  are  in  general  silent  and  dumb  animals,  and  in  domestica- 
tion others  learn  a  kind  of  barking.  .  .  .  The  native  Indians  who  have 
domestic  dogs  of  European  origin,  invariably  use  the  Spanish  term  Perro, 
and  greatly  promote  the  increase  of  the  breed,  in  preference  to  their  own, 
which  they  consider  to  be  derived  entirely,  or  with  a  cross  from  the  Aguaras 
of  the  woods,  and  by  this  name  of  Aguara  it  is  plain,  throughout  almost  all 
the  interior  of  South  America,  that  the  whole  group  of  indigenous  canines 
is  understood." 

In  addition  to  the  common  dog  of  the  North  American  Indians,  there 
seems  also  to  have  been  a  distinct  variety  in  Florida  which  was  called  the 
black  wolf  dog,  and  Colonel  Smith  was  of  the  opinion  that  it  came  from  a 
cross  of  the  Newfoundland  dog  and  the  common  Indian  dog,  which  he  called 
Lyctscus  Cagottisy  and  placed  in  the  same  genus  as  the  prairie  wolf,  Caygotte 
being  the  Mexican  Spaniards'  name  for  the  Indian's  dog.  Colonel  Smith 
also  put  all  the  Aguara  dogs  into  a  group  under  the  name  of  Dasicyon,  with 
the  divisions  of  D.  sylvestris,  the  dog  of  the  woods;  D.  canescens,  the  hoary 
aguara,  and  D.  antarcticuSy  the  Falkland  Islands  variety,  and  D.  Fulvipes, 
the  dunfooted  aguara,  which  is  a  short-legged  foxy-looking  animal. 

This  terminates  the  history  of  the  dog  up  to  the  period  at  which  he 
assumes  breed  characteristics.  From  here  on  the  subjects  must  be  treated 
specifically  by  varieties,  each  under  its  own  heading,  as  a  distinct  member 
of  the  large  and  wonderfully  differing  family  of  the  dog. 


iUi 


CHAPTER  II 

The  Dog  in  the  House 

Of  any  beast  none  is  more  faithful  found, 

Nor  yields  more  pastime  in  house,  plain,  or  woods, 
Nor  helps  his  master's  person,  or  his  goods. 

With  greater  care  than  doth  the  dog  or  hound. — Molle. 

N  selecting  a  dog  for  the  house  there  is  ample  scope  for 
choice  according  to  the  conditions  under  which  the  animal 
can  be  kept.  The  first  consideration  for  an  owner  is  as 
to  what  accommodation  he  can  give  his  dog,  for  there  is  a 
vast  difference  between  a  city  flat  or  home,  and  a  country- 
house,  where  unlimited  liberty  can  be  given  the  pet  of  the  household.  For 
a  city  dog  give  preference  to  something  of  moderate  size,  even  the  smaller 
toy  dogs,  though  setters  or  pointers  do  very  well,  if  fancy  runs  in  that  direc- 
tion. Anything  large,  such  as  a  St.  Bernard,  mastiff,  great  Dane,  or  the 
heavily  coated  dogs,  had  better  be  left  out  of  the  question,  unless  fancy  is 
imperative  for  one  of  those  breeds.  Terriers  are  good  for  the  house,  pro- 
vided moderation  in  feeding  is  exercised,  for  they  are  apt  to  eat  too  much, 
and  a  fat-laden  terrier  is  an  eyesore  to  any  person  who  likes  to  see  a  dog  as 
he  should  be  in  the  way  of  condition. 

Heavily  coated  dogs  are  better  avoided  for  the  reason  that  the  process 
of  the  annual  shedding  of  coat  is  a  prolonged  one,  and  it  is  impossible  to 
prevent  the  falling  coat  from  attaching  itself  to  carpets,  rugs,  or  anything 
upon  which  the  dog  lies.  Still  another  reason  is,  that  during  this  long 
process  of  shedding  and  then  awaiting  the  coming  of  the  full  coat  the  dog 
does  not  look  his  best,  and  a  house-dog  should,  like  its  owner,  be  fit  to  be 
seen  by  company  at  all  seasonable  hours. 

Having  decided  upon  the  dog  that  is  most  satisfactory  to  please  indi- 
vidual fancy  and  the  accommodations  of  the  home,  the  next  question  is, 
what  to  do  for  the  animal  when  it  arrives.  If  the  dog  is  to  be  the  property 
ot  any  member  of  the  family  in  particular,  it  is  well  to  allow  that  one  to 
attend  solely  to  the  unpacking  or  receiving  the  newcomer.     Dogs  are,  as  a 

29 


30  The  Dog  Book 

rule,  prone  to  look  upon  such  a  person  as  a  special  master,  and  attach  them- 
selves accordingly,  though  of  course,  there  are  exceptions,  and  puppies  and 
young  dogs  call  for  more  individual  subsequent  attention  than  do  grown 
dogs  who  have  had  experience  in  recognising  and  obeying  a  master.  Give 
water  at  once,  more  especially  if  the  dog  has  come  from  a  distance,  or  the 
weather  is  warm.  Feeding  is  a  secondary  consideration,  and  may  with 
advantage  be  preceded  by  a  short  run  on  the  chain,  followed  by  a  light  meal 
on  the  return  to  the  house. 

No  question  is  more  frequently  put  by  one  who  has  not  previously  had 
a  dog  than  how  to  feed  it,  and  no  question  is  easier  to  answer.  Any  clean 
food  that  the  dog  will  eat  is  in  the  main  satisfactory.  Beware  of  the  man 
who  insists  that  meat  must  be  avoided,  for  meat  is  as  much  a  necessity  as 
with  ourselves.  Like  a  good  many  things  it  can  be  abused,  however,  and 
when  a  dog  decidedly  refuses  to  eat  anything  but  meat  it  will  be  well  to  give 
him  nothing  until  he  is  willing  to  take  mush  and  milk  for  breakfast,  or  a  din- 
ner of  bread  and  vegetables  with  gravy.  If  a  child  were  permitted  to  choose 
its  own  meals,  it  would  subsist  largely  on  cake  and  ice-cream,  but  it  would 
not  starve  itself  if  those  dainties  were  denied  and  good  plain  bread  and  but- 
ter substituted.  Neither  will  the  dog  injure  itself  or  go  too  long  without 
food,  though  it  may  refrain  for  quite  a  time,  fasting  not  being  so  much  of  a 
hardship  as  with  ourselves. 

There  is  no  better  or  more  suitable  food  for  the  house-dog  than  table 
scraps,  the  meat  being  cut  fine  enough  to  prevent  its  being  specially  picked 
out  and  the  rest  left.  Mix  this  with  bread  and  mashed  vegetables,  moistened 
with  gravy  or  soup.  Dogs  are  much  better  out  of  the  dining-room,  except 
in  the  case  of  a  thoroughly  trained  one  that  will  not  beg  for  food.  Puppies 
should  always  be  excluded  and  food  taken  to  them — preferably  out  of  doors, 
or  to  some  certain  place  always  used  for  this  purpose,  so  that  the  dog  will 
learn  that  this  and  this  only  is  its  feeding-place.  Have  a  dish  of  clean  water 
there  also,  and  if  you  wish  to  oblige  your  many  advisers,  you  can  put  a  piece 
of  sulphur  in  the  dish,  or  if  you  have  not  that  handy,  a  stone  will  do  as  well, 
for  neither  is  soluble  in  water.  Sulphur  is  good  for  the  dog,  but  it  needs  to 
be  administered  in  another  way.  Take  equal  parts  of  sulphur  and  mag- 
nesia, mix  thoroughly  and  put  in  the  evening  meal  for  a  week  as  much  as 
will  cover  a  dime,  and  then  discontinue.  This  will  cool  your  dog  off  in  the 
summer  time.  For  anything  smaller  than  a  fox-terrier  reduce  the  quantity 
one-half.     Sulphur  is  also  good  for  outward  application  for  cuts,  wounds 


SWISS    MOUNTAIN    KENNELS,    GERMANTOWN 
Method  of  keeping  exhibition  toys,  when  not  at  exercise 


The  Dog  in  the  House  31 

or  sores;  our  almost  universal  remedy  for  these  being  crude  petroleum  and 
sulphur  mixed  to  the  consistency  of  thick  cream.  Stick-sulphur,  however, 
is  of  no  more  use  than  a  stone. 

How  often  to  feed  a  dog  depends  upon  age  and  weather.  As  we  feed 
children  oftener  than  we  do  ourselves,  and  we  eat  more  in  winter  than  in 
summer,  so,  too,  in  the  case  of  a  puppy  of  two  months  old,  feed  it  at  least 
five  times  a  day — the  last  meal  late  in  the  evening,  and  the  first  as  early  as 
possible  in  the  morning.  In  another  month  or  so  drop  off  the  late  meal, 
extending  the  time  between  the  day  meals.  At  the  age  of  five  months 
three  meals  a  day  should  suffice,  and  in  another  month  or  so,  if  it  is  warm 
weather,  a  morning  and  night  meal  will  be  ample.  Here  again  we  must  be 
governed  by  considerations  of  the  breed  and  the  individual.  Some  breeds 
you  want  as  large  as  possible,  while  others  should  be  of  moderate  size,  and 
still  others  are  better  when  as  small  as  possible.  To  make  a  big  man,  it  is 
of  no  use  to  stint  the  boy  until  he  is  eighteen  years  of  age  and  then  stuff 
him.  His  best  growing  age  is  past  then,  and  so  it  is  with  a  St.  Bernard  or 
any  dog  whose  growth  we  wish  to  be  as  large  as  possible — collie,  setter, 
great  Dane,  and  others  in  the  same  category.  Keep  a  dog  of  this  kind  grow- 
ing continuously  from  the  time  he  leaves  his  dam  till  he  is  a  year  old,  espe- 
cially so  in  the  case  of  the  larger  breeds,  as  they  are  slow  to  attain  full  height, 
whereas  collies,  setters,  and  the  like  have  pretty  well  reached  their  growth  at 
ten  months,  after  which  they  mature.  Terriers  and  such  as  can  be  made 
too  large  by  over-feeding  should  be  brought  to  three  or  two  meals  a  day 
sooner  than  large  dogs.  Toys  it  is  better  to  feed  with  non-stimulating 
food  than  to  limit  the  meals  too  much.  Use  cereals  with  a  smaller  quantity 
of  meat,  or  rice  and  fish,  the  idea  being  not  to  grow  a  dog  devoid  of  shape, 
as  will  be  the  case  if  it  never  has  a  full  meal.  For  these  small  breeds  the 
toy-dog  biscuits  are  very  useful  when  fed  plain  or  with  a  little  soup  or  gravy, 
there  being  meat  enough  in  them  for  ordinary  use. 

The  exercise  of  a  little  judgment  in  this  regard  is  the  best  advice  that 
can  be  given.  One  should  always  remember  that  he  is  injuring  his  dog 
more  by  getting  him  fat  than  by  cutting  out  the  meat  in  his  dish,  and  having 
him  smell  and  leave  his  food.  He  will  eat  when  he  is  hungry.  Some  will 
get  along  on  almost  nothing.  We  once  had  an  Irish  terrier  that  we  took  to 
Southport  show,  in  England,  where  she  was  given  equal  first  in  the  variety 
class,  the  judges  being  two  well-known  gentlemen.  One  of  them,  either 
the  late  Mr.  Lort  or  the  late  John  Douglas,  said:    "You  would  have  won. 


32  The  Dog  Book 

sir,  if  your  terrier  had  not  been  so  fat."  We  said  that  it  was  impossible  to 
keep  her  down  and  that  she  had  but  one  biscuit  a  day.  "Show  it  to  her, 
show  it — don't  let  her  eat  it!"  On  the  other  hand,  with  some  dogs  one 
might  almost  shovel  the  food  into  them  and  then  they  would  never  be  more 
than  passably  fat,  for,  like  ourselves,  it  is  not  the  heaviest  eater  that  is  the 
stoutest  person  at  the  table. 

To  keep  a  dog  clean  requires  washing  or  brushing,  or  both.  The  less 
washing  the  better,  and  unless  the  dog  is  a  white  one  and  looks  dirty  or 
smells  a  little  doggy,  stick  to  the  brush  as  long  as  possible.  There  are  many 
dog  brushes,  just  as  we  have  a  variety  of  dogs'  coats.  Collies,  setters,  and 
those  with  a  good  quality  of  coat  will  do  well  enough  with  the  better  sort  of 
dandy-brush,  such  as  is  used  in  the  stable.  The  fibres  are  long  enough  and 
coarse  enough  to  penetrate  to  the  skin  and  clean  that  well.  Then  for  a  top 
polish  the  bristle-glove  or  the  brush  with  the  flexible  leather  and  strap-back 
will  answer  admirably,  polishing  the  coat  and  thoroughly  separating  it,  so 
that  it  shows  to  the  best  advantage.  The  finer  and  shorter  the  coat,  the 
finer  the  brush  that  may  be  used,  until  it  comes  to  the  long-coated  toys  such 
as  those  of  the  Pomeranians,  spaniels,  or  Yorkshires.  For  Pomeranians  a 
special  brush  is  made,  with  good  length  of  bristles  and  not  all  the  same 
length;  for  Yorkshires,  a  fine  bristle  and  a  rounded  front.  As  to  the  Yorkshire 
terriers  such  as  we  see  at  shows  they  are  quite  unsuitable  for  the  house,  as 
they  have  to  be  kept  in  the  most  artificial  manner  so  as  to  grow  and  preserve 
the  coat  as  we  see  it  on  exhibition  specimens.  The  toy  spaniels  are  diflFerent, 
however,  their  coats  being  of  moderate  length,  of  more  substance,  and  not 
so  liable  to  break  when  being  brushed.  In  all  long-coated  dogs  be  par- 
ticular to  comb  or  brush  the  coat  thoroughly  at  the  back  of  the  ears,  and 
also  about  the  hind-quarters,  for  it  will  otherwise  become  matted. 

When  it  is  deemed  necessary  to  wash  a  dog,  use  the  best  quality  of 
soap,  whether  special  dog-soap  or  toilet-soap.  The  strong  common  soaps 
take  the  polish  from  the  coat,  and  it  will  take  a  day  or  so  to  come  on  again. 
Use  plenty  of  water,  regulating  its  warmth  according  to  the  breed  of  dog 
and  its  ability  to  stand  cold  water.  If  the  dog  is  not  averse  to  the  bath, 
begin  at  the  head  and  lather  well,  being  as  quick  as  possible  in  the  operation 
and  doing  it  thoroughly.  If  you  are  using  a  carbolic  soap  or  any  flea-killer 
of  strong  quality,  follow  immediately  with  a  plain  soap  lather  and  wash 
out.  Have  ready  another  bath  or  sufficient  water  to  refill  the  one  being 
used,  and  let  this  be  colder  than  the  first — ^with  more  than  the  chill  off,  and 


The  Dog  in  the  House  33 

for  strong  dogs  in  the  summer-time  let  it  be  cold  water.  It  is  preferable 
to  put  the  dog  in  the  empty  tub  or  bath,  and  let  an  attendant  pour  on  the 
clean  water  from  a  jug  or  water-pot  while  you  rinse  out  the  coat  with  both 
hands  so  as  to  remove  every  particle  of  the  soap.  On  large  and  hardy 
dogs  you  can  use  the  lawn  water-pipe.  This  cooler  bath  not  only  cleans  out 
the  soap,  but  to  a  great  extent  prevents  colds. 

As  it  takes  considerable  time  to  soap  large  dogs  with  a  cake  of  soap  and 
get  a  good  lather,  it  will  be  found  more  convenient  to  shave  the  soap  and 
dissolve  it  in  warm  water,  using  this  either  by  laving  it  on  with  the  hand  as 
needed  or  pouring  it  along  the  back  and  rubbing  the  lather  down  the  sides; 
Some  dogs  object  to  being  washed,  but  no  matter  how  fractious  they  may 
be,  a  little  patience  and  firmness  never  fails  to  quiet  them.  In  such  cases 
wash  the  body  first,  and  when  they  are  quieted  do  the  head.  Let  them  know 
that  they  must  submit,  and  they  will.  The  toys  are  more  likely  to  be  the 
worst,  but  as  they  know  the  ashamed  tone  of  voice  very  well,  hold  the  little 
rascals  down  by  their  forelegs  and  talk  to  them  seriously.  If  on  letting  go 
one  of  the  legs  a  toy  dog  does  not  struggle,  tell  him  what  a  nice  little  dog  he 
is,  and  he  is  very  certain  to  behave  himself.  If  he  does  not,  then  repeat  the 
process  till  he  does. 

Now  comes  the  hardest  part  of  the  process,  the  drying.  Here  again 
weather  and  the  variety  of  the  dog  create  differences.  A  good,  hardy  ter- 
rier in  the  summer-time  is  a  very  different  thing  from  a  toy  in  the  winter. 
Having  thoroughly  rinsed  all  soap  from  the  coat,  empty  the  bath,  and 
placing  the  dog  in  it  or  some  place  where  the  drip  from  the  coat  will  not 
damage  anything,  squeeze  as  much  of  the  water  out  as  you  can,  running  the 
hands  the  way  of  the  coat  and  down  the  legs,  squeezing  the  foot.  After  that 
take  a  sponge  and  go  over  the  coat  in  a  similar  manner.  If  the  dog  is  not 
long-coated  so  as  to  get  snarled,  the  sponge  may  be  rubbed  up  and  down 
in  the  coat  and  will  be  found  to  absorb  much  of  the  water.  The  next  proc- 
ess is  rubbing  with  a  towel,  and  this  should  continue  till  the  coat  is  well 
dried,  more  particularly  in  cold  weather,  and  in  the  case  of  delicate  dogs, 
or  of  those  which  cannot  be  liberated  for  a  smart  run  in  the  warm  sunshine 
on  account  of  their  being  prepared  for  show.  This  point  will  be  treated 
later.  You  cannot  err  in  drying  the  dog  well,  so  do  it  thoroughly  and  in  the 
case  of  toys  use  dry,  warm  towels,  thereafter  applying  a  warm  brush  and  the 
hands  till  no  trace  of  dampness  remains  in  the  coat.  In  the  country  in  sum- 
mer time,  when  one  has  a  good  lawn  on  which  to  let  a  dog  run,  the  sun  and 


34  The  Dog  Book 

breeze  will  assist  materially  in  the  drying  process,  though  one  must  use 
judgment,  for  some  dogs  are  almost  too  delicate  for  this  exposure  unless  the 
weather  is  exceedingly  favourable. 

There  is  no  question  that  strong  soap  will  take  the  polish  off  a  dog's 
coat,  but  it  is  perhaps  not  altogether  that.  If  a  person  takes  a  very  warm 
bath,  or  washes  his  face  in  hot  water,  there  is  a  very  decided  subsequent  feel- 
ing of  dryness  about  the  skin,  which  is  not  the  case  when  cold  or  tepid  water 
is  used.  The  hot  water  of  itself  takes  away  the  natural  tone  of  the  skin, 
and  it  must  have  a  similar  effect  upon  the  hair  of  the  dog,  hence  the  advisa- 
bility of  using  as  cool  water  as  the  conditions  will  permit. 

Cleanliness  in  the  house  is  the  great  essential  in  the  house-dog,  and  it 
is  very  natural  for  a  purchaser  to  insist  upon  its  being  guaranteed.  Some 
people  will  do  so  readily,  but  others  will  not  give  a  guaranty  with  a  dog, 
and  for  a  very  good  reason.  They  say,  and  with  truth,  that  to  a  person 
ignorant  of  dogs  the  assurance  that  the  dog  is  house-broken  will  cause  it 
to  be  imposed  upon  to  its  possible  serious  injury,  and  the  cleaner  the  dog 
the  greater  the  likelihood  of  its  being  imposed  on.  Such  a  seller  will  say: 
"I  will  not  guarantee  this  dog  as  house-broken,  but  I  will  tell  you  that  he 
has  been  in  my  house  for  some  time  and  has  not  misbehaved.  He  is  always 
given  a  good  run  the  last  thing  at  night  and  liberated  the  first  thing  in  the 
morning;  and  during  the  day  he  is  allowed  to  go  out  whenever  he  seems 
desirous  of  so  doing."  A  dog  will  conform  to  almost  any  habit  desired,  but 
the  responsibility  of  respecting  the  requirements  of  the  dog  falls  as  much  on 
you  as  on  the  dog. 

No  puppy  is  house-broken,  for  that  is  a  matter  of  education,  and  hence 
a  young  puppy  is  better  kept  out  of  the  house  and  permitted  only  to  come 
in  occasionally  and  never  before  he  has  had  a  good  run,  if  he  has  been  sleep- 
ing. Once  in  the  house,  he  must  be  watched  and  put  out  the  moment  there 
is  any  indication  that  it  is  advisable  or  necessary,  and  kept  out  till  it  is  safe 
to  admit  him.  Of  course  the  puppy  is  sure  sooner  or  later  to  misbehave, 
and  then  without  the  least  delay  he  must  be  shown  what  he  has  done,  scolded, 
and  put  out-of-doors.  Any  further  mishaps  must  be  punished  by  switching; 
but  never  punish  unless  you  can  at  once  associate  the  punishment  with  the 
reason  for  it,  otherwise  he  does  not  know  what  it  is  for.  Sooner  or  later  the 
puppy  will  learn  to  let  you  know  that  he  wishes  to  go  out,  and  whenever  he 
makes  a  move  to  the  door  let  him  out.  He  soon  learns  that  he  can  get  out 
if  he  wishes. 


T.  FOOTE  S  KENNELS,  FORMERLY  AT  NEW  ROCHELLE 

The  dogs  were  kennelled  in  the  petroleum  barrels  and  their  chains  attached  to  rings  sliding  on  wires  which 
extended  to  another  row  of  spruce  trees    • 


A  HUMANE  WAY  OF  CHAINING  A  WATCH  DOG 

The  wire  on  which  the  sliding  ring  is  put  runs  from  the  post  near  the  dog  to  the  kennel  seen  below  the  trees 


The  Dog  in  the  House  35 

There  are  those  who  will  train  dogs  for  up-to-date  flat  use  and  accustom 
the  puppy  to  use  a  box.  Where  a  dog  has  once  made  use  of  a  place,  he  is 
prone  to  return.  Accordingly  the  puppy,  on  being  brought  home  or  taken 
from  his  travelling-box,  should  be  put  into  a  shallow  box  with  sawdust  on 
the  bottom  of  it,  and  kept  there  till  he  may  be  allowed  to  run  about.  If  the 
box  is  then  left  as  it  is  and  he  can  get  into  it  unaided,  he  will  likely  tumble 
into  it  in  his  wanderings,  and  the  smell  of  the  sawdust  will  induce  him  to 
make  use  of  the  place  again,  and  thus  the  habit  is  acquired. 

Very  elaborate  sleeping-baskets  are  furnished  for  house-dogs,  with 
mats,  rugs,  or  dainty  cushions.  These  are  well  enough  for  the  tiny  drawing- 
room  pet,  but  are  out  of  place  for  a  terrier  or  anything  larger.  For  such  a 
dog  we  recommend  a  plain  box.  It  may  be  made  of  hard  wood  or  of  any 
wood  painted  and  varnished  if  desired,  but  not  upholstered.  Have  it  of  a 
size  to  enable  the  dog  to  lie  comfortably,  and  on  the  bottom  put  a  layer  of 
paper — newspaper,  plain  wrapping-paper  or,  if  one  is  fastidious,  a  piece  of 
fancy  paper.  Tar-paper  may  be  used  in  the  summer-time  if  the  smell  is 
less  objectionable  than  fleas.  A  dog  will  lie  as  comfortably  on  a  piece  of 
paper  as  on  a  feather  cushion,  and  a  new  bed  costs  nothing,  while  a  dash  of 
boiling  water  around  the  box  will  kill  any  vermin. 

Keeping  a  yard-dog  seems  to  be  in  many  cases  an  excuse  for  never 
letting  a  dog  off  the  chain.  If  a  little  exercise  is  thought  necessary,  it  is 
attained  in  some  cases  by  adding  an  extra  length  of  chain  strong  enough  to 
hold  an  ox!  A  very  simple  way  to  give  a  dog  exercise  on  the  chain  is  to 
hang  a  strong  wire  in  such  a  manner  that,  with  a  chain  of  ordinary  length 
attached  to  a  ring  on  the  wire,  the  dog  can  get  into  his  kennel.  The  other 
end  of  the  wire  (supposing  one  end  to  be  attached  to  the  building  near 
which  the  kennel  is  placed)  is  to  be  fastened  to  anything  convenient — another 
building,  a  tree  or  post  far  enough  away  to  give  the  dog  a  good  run  from  one 
end  to  the  other.  If  one  end  is  attached  to  a  tree  or  post,  put  it  higher  than 
at  the  other  end.  Then  at  a  distance  far  enough  from  the  post  to  prevent 
the  dog  from  going  around  it,  fasten  another  piece  of  wire,  which  pass 
through  an  eyelet  fixed  lower  down  on  the  post  and  pull  tight — the  long 
wire  may  have  a  little  slack  to  permit  of  this.  You  will  thus  stop  the  ring 
from  coming  further  than  is  wanted.  Have  the  wires  so  stretched  that,  if 
possible,  one  end  of  the  run  will  always  be  in  the  shade,  and  do  not  forget 
in  winter  to  turn  the  kennel  to  face  the  south,  putting  a  piece  of  sacking 
over  the  entrance  and  a  good  bed  of  straw  inside,  on  top  of  an  old  news- 


36  The  Dog  Book 

paper.     Do  not  think  any  less  of  your  watch-dog  than  did  those  old  Iranians 
of  whom  you  may  have  read  in  the  chapter  on  the  ancient  history  of  the  dog. 

Kennel  Dogs 

When  it  comes  to  the  kennelling  of  a  small  lot  of  dogs  or  the  going  into 
the  business  of  exhibiting  dogs  on  a  large  scale,  we  enter  into  a  very  different 
phase  of  the  subject,  calling  for  more  or  less  outlay  and  systematic  care, 
according  to  the  number  handled.  Still,  we  have  as  the  paramount  features 
the  three  essentials — cleanliness,  food,  and  comfort.  We  place  them  in  that 
order  because  when  a  number  of  dogs  are  kept  together,  cleanliness  is  the 
most  important  of  all,  and  every  effort  must  be  put  forth  to  keep  the  dogs 
clear  of  disease  and  infection.  Food  is  a  close  second  to  cleanliness,  as  per- 
haps three-fourths  of  what  is  called  mange  is  the  result  of  stomachic  trou- 
bles caused  by  injudicious  feeding.  The  skin  is  in  a  measure  a  thermometer, 
telling  us  that  there  is  excessive  heat  inside,  and  it  will  not  get  into  a  normal 
condition  until  the  inside  heat  is  reduced.  Thirdly  comes  the  comfort  and 
extra  appearance  of  the  kennels. 

Can  we  do  better  than  introduce  the  subject  with  the  poet  Somerville's 
instructions  ?     They  are  as  follows : 

"First  let  the  kennel  be  the  huntsman's  care, 

Upon  some  little  eminence  erect, 
And  fronting  to  the  ruddy  dawn;  its  courts 

On  either  hand  wide  opening  to  receive 
The  sun's  all-cheering  beams,  when  mild  he  shines, 

And  gilds  the  mountain  tops.     For  much  the  pack 
Roused  from  their  dark  alcoves  delight  to  stretch 

And  bask  in  his  invigorating  ray. 

"  Let  no  Corinthian  pillars  prop  the  dome, 
A  vain  expense,  on  charitable  deeds 
Better  disposed — For  use  not  state; 

Gracefully  plain  let  each  apartment  rise. 
O'er  all  let  cleanliness  preside,  no  scraps 

Bestrew  the  pavement,  and  no  half-picked  bones. 

"Water  and  shade  no  less  demand  thy  care; 

In  a  large  field  the  adjacent  field  enclose 
There  plant  in  equal  ranks  the  spreading  elm, 

Or  fragrant  lime;  most  happy  thy  design 
If  at  the  bottom  of  thy  spacious  court, 

A  large  canal  fed  by  the  crystal  brook. 
From  its  transparent  bosom  shall  reflect 

Downward  thy  structure  and  inverted  green." 


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S    3 


The  Dog  in  the  House  37 

The  object  of  placing  the  kennel  on  a  slight  eminence  is  to  secure 
drainage.  At  any  rate  it  should  not  be  built  in  a  hollow,  or  the  dogs  will 
always  be  liable  to  rheumatic  and  other  troubles,  induced  by  dampness  and 
cold.  Having  selected  the  location,  the  next  thing  to  do  is  to  decide  upon 
what  is  wanted.  If  the  kennel  is  a  modest  one  of  half  a  dozen  terriers, 
which  the  owner  is  to  look  after  himself,  a  suitable  structure  would  be  one 
of  twelve  feet  square,  with  an  elevation  of  six  feet  at  the  eaves  and  about 
eight  feet  in  the  centre.  This  will  admit  of  a  centre  passageway  of  as  much 
as  four  feet  in  width,  and  three  four-feet-square  divisions  on  each  side,  or 
enough  to  accommodate  from  six  to  nine  terriers  or  anything  up  to  setter 
size.  Light  can  best  be  obtained  by  having  tilting  windows  at  either  end, 
and  these  also  afford  necessary  ventilation  from  the  sheltered  side  in  winter 
or  with  a  clear,  through  draught  in  summer.  In  most  kennels  the  indoor 
compartments  are  boarded  up  for  about  four  feet  between  the  kennels,  but 
we  have  tried  with  success  good  wire-netting,  and  the  dogs  seem  quieter 
and  more  comfortable  than  when  in  solitary  confinement.  Certainly  with 
the  netting  there  is  less  accommodation  for  vermin  in  crevices  and  cracks. 
The  kennel  looks  lighter  and  airier  and  thus  gains  in  appearance. 

Of  course  the  netting  must  be  small  enough  in  the  mesh  and  stout  enough 
to  keep  quarrelsome  dogs  apart,  but  there  is  not  so  much  anxiety  to  get  at 
one  another  among  terriers  who  see  each  other  all  the  time.  The  com- 
partment doors  should  either  open  inward  or  slide  to  one  side,  and  for  two 
reasons:  not  taking  any  passage  space,  and  never  giving  way  when  pushed 
against  by  the  dogs.  We  prefer  the  sliding-door  set  to  run  down  a  slight 
incline  and  catch  when  it  runs  down.  The  sleeping-bench  should  not  be 
too  high,  and  must  be  entirely  detached,  so  that  it  can  be  taken  out,  washed 
with  some  parasite-killer  and  sun-dried.  Bedding  is  unnecessary  in  sum- 
mer, and  in  winter  it  is  better  to  have  boxes  inverted  on  the  sleeping-benches, 
part  of  the  front  being  taken  off  and  a  strip  of  sacking  nailed  along  the  top 
front  to  drop  down  in  excessively  cold  weather.  Such  a  box,  if  put  on  the 
summer  sleeping-bench  with  a  layer  of  paper  beneath  the  straw,  makes 
as  comfortable  a  sleeping-place  for  a  dog  as  can  be  provided,  and  obviates 
the  need  of  a  fire  for  anything  but  sensitive  dogs. 

No  matter  what  lumber  is  used  for  the  sides  and  roof  of  the  kennel,  you 
cannot  get  too  sound  and  too  good  material  for  the  flooring.  This  ought 
to  be  put  down  to  be  as  tight  as  a  drum  and  with  just  the  least  little  bit  of 
incline  in  the  laying  of  it,  so  as  to  have  it  dry  quickly  when  washed.     How 


38  The  Dog  Book 

to  have  the  water  run  off  has,  of  course,  to  be  decided  by  the  individual  case 
as  to  where  it  had  better  be  got  rid  of.  No  division  partition  should  come 
down  so  close  to  the  floor  as  to  prevent  the  clear  flow  of  water  over  the 
whole  floor. 

The  outside  arrangements  for  such  a  kennel  should  be  a  piece  of  ground 
on  each  side  and,  if  possible,  at  the  further  end.  With  the  end-piece  it  will 
be  possible  to  give  side-yards  of  eight  feet  to  the  first  and  second  divisions  on 
each  side,  and  turn  the  dogs  in  the  third  kennels  into  the  yards  at  the  end. 

When  we  come  to  the  large  kennel  of  dogs  for  breeding  or  exhibition 
purposes,  we  have  a  case  which  presents  quite  as  much  difference  as  exists 
between  the  family  horse  and  the  stable  of  race-horses.  A  competent  kennel 
man  is  now  an  essential,  and  so  long  as  he  knows  his  business  and  keeps  his 
dogs  in  good  condition,  it  is  much  better  not  to  interfere  with  him.  So  also, 
if  he  is  the  right  sort  of  man,  when  he  sees  his  employer  wishes  a  thing  done 
in  a  certain  way  he  will  do  it,  for  there  are  many  ways  of  managing  a  kennel, 
and  any  one  will  give  satisfaction  if  the  dogs  are  well  cared  for  and  kept 
healthy. 

It  is  quite  possible  to  keep  a  greater  number  of  dogs  by  making  an  en- 
largement of  the  small  kennel  just  described,  or  by  building  more  than  one. 
The  latter  is  preferable,  for  with  a  large  number  of  dogs  isolation  becomes  a 
possible  necessity,  and  the  cooking  should  be  kept  separate  at  any  rate, 
even  if  there  are  no  patients  to  be  cared  for.  All  of  that  is  merely  a  matter 
of  detail  and  possibilities  as  governed  by  circumstances  and  the  wishes  of 
the  proprietor. 

There  is  yet  another  system,  which  is  being  adopted  more  or  less  in  its 
entirety,  and  which  for  want  of  a  better  name  may  be  called  the  "stall" 
system  of  kennelling.  It  is  the  adaptation  to  the  kennel  of  the  method  in 
which  horses  are  kept.  The  stall  is  the  horse's  restricted  apartment  for 
resting  and  sleeping,  while  for  exercise  he  is  ridden  or  driven.  The  most 
complete  kennel  of  this  kind  we  have  visited  is  that  of  Mr.  George  Thomas, 
at  Hamilton,  Mass.,  and  a  description  of  it  will  explain  how  one  may  be 
built,  or  it  can  be  used  as  a  model  in  part  or  as  a  whole.  The  building 
was  in  part  originally  the  horse  stable,  but  has  been  so  entirely  remodelled 
as  to  be  practically  a  new  building.  First,  at  the  right  hand  or  eastern  end 
of  the  building  you  enter  the  office,  a  conveniently  fitted  up  room  for  the  con- 
duct of  the  business,  letter-writing  and  the  reception  of  visitors.  To  your 
right,  as  you  enter,  is  a  door  leading  to  the  kennels,  and  like  all  the  other 


LOOKING    WEST    FROM   THE    TERRIER    ROOM 
Showing  the  exit  to  the  outdoor  lots  for  morning  and  evening  exercise 


THE    INTERIOR    ARRANGEMENTS    OF    THE    LARGER    KENNELS 

All  fittings  are  removable  for  purposes  of  thorougli  cleaning: 

MR.  GEORGE  S.  THOMAS'  KENNELS  AT  HAMILTON,  MASS. 


\  iKW     tKuSl    THK    1>FHCE    l>i)OR    AT    THE    EAST    E.Mi 

Showing  the  main  terrier  room  and  the  lonij  passageway  >ietween  the  doul'le  row  of  kennels  fur  larger  dogs; 
the  duorway  on  the  left  admits  to  the  covered  or  bad-»eather  run 


THE    "stall"    system    OF   KENNELLING 

Showing  the  movable  slatted  kennel  bott<im  and  the  foot  board  removed  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning  the  kennels; 
also  cleaned  kennels  open  and  ready  lor  the  dogs 

MR.  GEORGE  S.  THOMAS'  KENNELS  AT  HAMILTON,  MASS. 


1 


The  Dog  in  the  House  39 

internal  doors  it  is  double  and  slides  (as  do  nearly  all  of  them),  so  that  no 
matter  if  a  dog  gets  loose,  it  is  confined  to  the  one  room.  Passing  through 
the  doorway  we  enter  the  first  of  the  kennel  rooms.  Here  a  door  facing 
leads  to  another  long  kennel,  while  one  to  the  left-hand  admits  to  the  rainy- 
day,  covered  exercise-yard.  The  door  in  the  left-hand  corner  gives  access 
to  a  room  at  the  back  of  the  office  for  the  use  of  the  men.  One  cannot  help 
noticing  the  perfect  floor  of  narrow,  light-coloured  wood,  which  is  scrupu- 
lously clean  and  as  perfectly  fitted  as  a  piece  of  cabinet  work. 

The  inside  fittings  of  this  room  resemble  nothing  more  closely  than 
the  lockers  of  a  rowing  or  athletic  club  with  wire-fronted  doors  for  ventila- 
tion and  drying  purposes.  Each  of  these  lockers  or  stalls  is  divided  from 
its  neighbours  by  a  matched-board  partition,  and  they  are  mainly  thirty-six 
inches  deep  by  twenty-six  inches  wide,  though  a  few  are  slightly  larger. 
They  are  meant  to  accommodate  one  dog,  although  two  are  put  together 
when  there  is  a  lack  of  space.  The  bottom  of  the  stall  is  about  eighteen 
inches  from  the  floor — a  height  convenient  enough  for  terriers,  as  they  can 
jump  it  without  trouble.  If  you  take  out  the  straw  you  will  find  that  the 
removable  bottom  is  not  tight,  but  has  spaces  between  the  narrow  strips. 
The  object  of  this  is  to  allow  whatever  dirt  the  dog  takes  into  his  kennel  to 
sift  through  the  straw  and  these  spaces  to  the  floor, so  as  to  form  no  breeding- 
place  for  vermin  of  any  kind.  It  will  be  noted  also  from  the  photographs 
that  the  fronts  of  these  stalls  do  not  go  down  to  the  floor,  but  are  so  arranged 
that  by  the  removal  of  a  board  at  the  bottom  the  floor  can  be  swept  as  often 
as  may  be  necessary  to  remove  such  dirt  as  sifts  through  the  spaced  floors  of 
the  stalls. 

The  farther  kennel  is  in  part  the  same,  but  it  is  meant  for  larger  and 
heavier  dogs,  and  more  conventional  in  having  a  bench  and  floor  space. 
Here  also  we  find  the  same  excellent  flooring  that  can  be  thoroughly  cleaned 
and  allows  of  no  lodgment  of  dust  or  dirt.  Disinfectants  are  used  but  little, 
reliance  being  placed  upon  the  frequent  washing  and  scrubbing  with  dis- 
infecting soft  soap  and  hot  water,  and  upon  good  ventilation.  The  latter 
is  secured  by  having  a  strip  of  swinging-windows  running  the  entire  length 
of  the  kennel  and  opening  at  the  ceiling,  so  that  all  the  foul,  heated  air  is 
liberated  when  the  windows  are  opened. 

The  method  of  exercising  is  as  follows:  When  the  men  turn  out  at 
seven  o'clock,  the  dogs  are  sent  into  one  of  two  adjacent  acre-fields,  and  it 
is  surprising  how  many  terriers  are  thus  allowed  at  liberty  together  at  this 


40  The  Dog  Book 

kennel.  We  have  counted  over  forty  of  all  sorts,  from  Airedales  to  Bostons, 
playing  and  romping  together  with  the  men  only  within  hearing  as  they 
set  about  cleaning  the  kennels.  It  takes  a  good  hour  to  do  the  rough  work 
of  cleaning  up,  and  to  put  the  kennels  in  order  for  the  return  of  the  dogs, 
which  are  watered  and  lightly  fed.  The  men  then  have  breakfast,  and  after 
seeing  that  everything  is  perfectly  clean  and  shipshape,  each  of  the  helpers 
starts  out  with  from  four  to  six  terriers  and  takes  them  for  a  good  hour's 
run  through  the  pine  woods.  These  are  close  by  the  kennels  and  afford 
splendid  exercise-grounds  with  the  flooring  of  dry  pine-needles  on  which 
to  run.  When  the  roads  are  in  good  condition,  a  run  is  given  there  by  way 
of  variety.  In  this  way  all  the  dogs  which  require  special  amount  of  exercise 
get  it,  and  on  their  return  are  watered  and  put  in  their  stalls,  any  mud  being 
wiped  off  them  and  the  friction  of  the  straw  and  the  spaced  flooring  of  the  stall 
doing  the  rest  in  the  way  of  keeping  the  dog  clean. 

By  the  time  all  the  dogs  requiring  it  are  given  this  running  exercise,  such 
as  the  terriers  (except  Bostons)  and  sporting  dogs,  it  is  necessary  to  set  about 
the  work  preparatory  to  feeding,  and  at  six  o'clock  the  dogs  have  another 
run  in  the  field,  whereupon  each  lot  as  called  is  fed,  till  all  are  in  their 
stalls  again.  Finally,  just  before  the  men  retire,  the  dogs  are  allowed  a  few 
minutes  in  the  covered  side-yard,  and  then  are  sent  to  bed  for  the  night.  It 
may  be  supposed  that  this  exercising  of  the  dogs  entails  an  excessive  amount 
of  labour.  True,  there  is  a  good  bit  of  work,  but  the  dogs  are  always 
clean  and  neat  and  take  plenty  of  exercise  when  they  are  out,  being  on 
the  scamper  all  of  the  time.  On  the  other  hand,  there  is  not  half  as  much 
cleaning  of  kennels,  and  the  absence  of  vermin  and  all  disease  is  a  far  greater 
recompense.  The  dogs  are  speedily  kennel-broken,  and  if  one  wants  liberty 
he  lets  the  kennel-man  know. 

We  have  seen  a  moderation  of  this  stall  system  at  the  kennels  of  Mr. 
Gooderham,  whose  kennel  manager,  Charley  Lynden,  is  famed  for  the  con- 
dition in  which  he  shows  his  smooth  fox-terriers.  Such  of  the  dogs  as  are 
to  be  shown  are  kennelled  separately  in  large  boxes  in  which  there  is  a  sleep- 
ing bench.  Enough  of  the  door  is  cut  out  at  the  top  to  allow  the  dog  to 
sit  with  his  head  through  the  hole.  It  is  a  rather  comical  sight  when  there 
are  a  dozen  heads  sticking  out  of  as  many  boxes  in  a  row.  The  important 
thing  to  note  in  this  boxing  is  to  get  the  hole  high,  so  that  the  dog  will  stretch 
up  in  place  of  crouching  to  look  out. 

We  had  recently  to  devise  plans  for  the  accommodation  of  about  a 


An  arrangement  of  sleeping  boxes,  especially  adapted  for  a  non-heated  kennel  in  very  cold  weather.     Also  a  good  preventive  of  noise  at  night 


An  economical  fitting-up  of  a  chicken  house,  enibr.icing  the  principles  of  cleanliness,  good  ventilation  and  comfort  for  the  terriers  kept  here 

THE   BORTHWICK    KENNELS,    HACKENSACK,   N.  J. 


The  Dog  in  the  House  41 

dozen  terriers  which  could  not  be  turned  in  together  Hke  a  lot  of  setters 
or  collies.  Separate  kennels  were  a  necessity,  although  it  was  quite  possible 
to  have  the  dogs  together  in  pairs  without  permitting  them  to  test  each 
other's  game  qualities.  The  basis  of  operations  consisted  of  a  well-built 
disused  poultry-house,  fifty  feet  long,  about  thirty  feet  of  which  was  clear  of 
obstructions,  and  a  large  barn  divided  by  a  good  partition,  between  the  stable 
portion  and  what  had  presumably  been  the  coach-house  end. 

Economy  was  desirable,  as  length  of  occupancy  was  problematical,  and 
we  proceeded  to  make  as  useful  a  copy  of  the  most  elaborate  and  expensive 
kennels  as  we  could  devise.  The  poultry-house  from  between  the  car- 
penter's bench  shown  at  the  left-hand  lower  corner  and  the  still  remaining 
chicken-pen  at  the  farther  end  we  divided  into  four  pens,  each  slightly  over 
six  by  nine.  The  uprights  along  the  passageway  side  are  sunk  through 
the  brick  floor,  but  with  the  exception  of  the  foot-wide  board  on  the  near 
side  of  the  first  division  all  boards  are  slightly  clear  of  the  floor  to  permit 
of  free  flushing  or  sweeping.  The  doors  slide  or  are  pushed  to  the  side  on 
rollers,  and  the  passageway  is  always  kept  clear.  The  lower  portion  of  the 
wire  partitions  is  half-inch  mesh,  while  the  upper  three  feet  is  ordinary 
two-inch  poultry  netting.  The  latter  we  propose  changing  for  four-foot 
netting  slightly  stronger,  and  cleating  it  to  a  strip  or  board  at  the  top.  Some 
dogs  can  clear  the  five  feet  or  climb  up  the  netting.  The  floor  of  the  house 
is  of  brick,  but  we  had  found  that  dogs  running  in  and  out  of  the  house  to 
the  outside  inclosure  brought  in  dirt  which  clung  to  the  bricks  and  made  the 
floor  very  hard  to  clean.  We  therefore  concluded  to  make  a  false  bottom  of 
strips,  and  this  was  done  as  follows:  Three  pieces  of  scantling  were  put 
down  lengthwise  in  an  inclosure  and,  the  strips  having  all  been  cut  to  an 
equal  length,  two  were  nailed  down  to  keep  the  scantlings  steady  and  equi- 
distant, and  the  whole  floor  then  laid  down  as  seen  in  the  photograph. 
Finally  the  floor  was  sawn  into  three  snug-fitting  sections  for  easy  removal. 
It  is  a  mere  form  to  sweep  the  floor  daily,  and  about  the  only  dirt  that  accu- 
mulates below  the  strips  is  in  the  section  nearest  the  outlet  to  the  yard.  This 
is  taken  up  twice  a  week  and  the  entire  floor  once  a  week  and  scrubbed  with 
disinfectant.  The  sleeping-boxes  are  old  travelling-boxes,  and  in  winter  a 
strip  of  sacking  is  nailed  along  the  top,  sufficient  depth  being  allowed  to 
cover  the  opening.  There  is  rather  too  much  window  in  this  house  for  cold 
nights,  and  we  propose  getting  up  some  light  frame  covered  with  sheathing- 
paper,  perhaps,  and  hinged  so  that  it  can  be  easily  raised  or  lowered  into 


42  The  Dog  Book 

place  and  fastened  at  night.  Two  of  these  windows,  which  are  hothouse 
sash  and  sHde  open,  will  admit  enough  light,  and  three  might  thus  be  covered 
permanently  during  the  winter  and  give  less  trouble  than  the  suggested 
swinging  covers.  The  raising  and  lowering  of  the  doors  to  the  yards  is 
controlled  by  the  cords  shown  in  the  photograph  as  extending  to  the  passage- 
way above  the  height  of  the  wire  netting. 

Previous  to  altering  the  interior  of  this  house  we  had  already  put  up 
a  six-foot-high  outside  inclosure,  sixteen  by  forty,  with  a  ten-foot  reserve 
at  the  far  end  for  the  chickens  which  might  arrive.  The  cash  outlay  for  two 
rolls  of  netting  and  lumber  for  that  was  about  eleven  dollars.  The  labour 
was  home  talent.  The  house  altering  was  put  into  the  hands  of  a  carpenter, 
and  in  his  bill  of  forty-eight  dollars  some  extra  work  and  material  was  in- 
cluded pertaining  to  a  tennis-court  which  probably  offset  the  first  outlay  for 
the  outside  work,  and  our  reckoning  is  that  the  whole  business  cost  fifty 
dollars,  but  that  of  course  is  only  alterations  to  the  original  house. 

The  barn  photograph  shows  an  adaptation  of  the  ideas  of  Mr.  Thomas 
and  the  box  arrangements  at  Mr.  Gooderham's  kennels.  The  boxes  were 
the  travelling-boxes  the  dogs  came  across  the  Atlantic  in.  Two  were  cut 
with  holes  like  those  at  the  Toronto  kennels,  but  this  was  abandoned  because 
the  dogs  kept  continually  barking,  mainly  at  each  other,  while  it  was  found 
that  dogs  shut  up  entirely  were  quiet.  It  will  be  noticed  that  the  boxes 
are  placed  on  strips  of  four-inch  stuff,  and  the  strip  in  front  is  placed 
sufficiently  far  back  to  admit  of  the  sweepings  of  the  box  to  fall  in  front 
of  it  through  an  opening  about  two  inches  by  six,  cut  in  what  is,  as  they 
lie  on  their  backs,  the  bottom  of  the  box.  Every  morning  when  a  dog 
is  liberated  his  box  is  swept  clean,  and  at  the  left-hand  corner  of  the  front 
of  the  second  box  from  the  left  may  be  seen  the  sweepings  from  that  box. 
When  all  are  cleaned  the  floor  is  swept  with  a  broom  and  the  business  is 
complete.  No  dogs  are  kept  continually  in  these  boxes,  but  are  changed 
with  the  dogs  in  the  other  kennels,  or  liberated  into  the  large  top  floor  of 
the  barn  during  the  day,  and  all  have  two  good  long  walks  and  runs  daily. 
Their  advantage  as  sleeping-boxes  is  unquestionable,  for  the  dogs  are  quiet 
and  therefore  sleep  well. 

Another  Americanism  in  the  way  of  working  out  ideas  suitable  for  the 
necessities  of  the  case  is  seen  in  the  Russian  Wolfhound  kennels  of  Dr.  De 
Mund  at  Bath  Beach.  The  most  of  Dr.  De  Mund's  dogs  are  kept  at 
Saddle  River,  N.  J.,  with  Mr.  Nichols  as  partner  in  charge,  but  a  few  are 


Showing  the  extension  of  tlie  exercise  lawn  from  the  kennel  at  the  left,  with  the  pUttorm  on  which  the  dogs  can 
bask,  or  get  below  for  shade  and  comfort 


The  kennel  in  its  summer  shape.     For  the  winter  months  it  is  boarded  up  on  the  side  and  far  end  and  the  right-hand  end  is  inclosed  with  glass 

DR.  DE  MUND'S  RUSSIAN  WOLFHOUND  KENNELS,  AT  BATH  BEACH,  N.  Y. 


The  Dog  in  the  House  43 

always  at  Bath  Beach,  and  during  the  late  summer  a  litter  of  six  was  most 
successfully  reared.  The  thing  to*  be  provided  for  was  summer  shade,  and 
this  was  effected  by  roofing-in  a  good-sized  portion  of  the  yard,  which  had, 
at  the  kennel  end,  a  cement  floor.  One  view  of  the  kennels  shows  the  sleep- 
ing rooms  at  the  rear  of  the  roofed-in  section,  and  close  to  the  door  at  the 
left  or  coach-house  end  is  a  large  tank  with  running  water,  and  from  this 
tap  the  hard  floor  can  be  thoroughly  washed  and  cooled  off"  with  ease,  the 
floor  sloping  to  a  centre  drain.  Another  view  of  the  entire  length  of  the 
kennel  inclosure  shows  a  very  essential  thing  for  the  comfort  of  the  dogs, 
and  that  is  the  large,  slightly-sloping  elevated  platform.  Below  this  the 
dogs  can  dig  into  the  cool  earth  and  enjoy  life  with  the  thermometer 
up  in  the  nineties,  while  if  the  sun  is  comforting  they  can  bask  and 
blink  on  the  warm  top. 

The  idea  Dr.  De  Mund  had  in  mind  when  he  built  his  kennel  was  to 
make  it  available  also  for  winter,  and  to  this  end  he  had  it  so  arranged  that 
sections  can  be  fitted  all  along  the  coach-house  end  and  along  the  drive, 
while  that  facing  the  exercise  inclosure  and  having  the  best  sun  exposure 
is  inclosed  with  a  good  deal  of  glass  to  admit  the  sunshine. 

The  view  of  the  kennel  yards  at  the  Saddle  River  establishment  is 
conventional  in  the  arrangements,  and  only  diff'ers  from  the  majority 
in  the  size  of  the  yards,  a  much  needed  thing  with  dogs  as  large  as 
wolf-hounds. 

As  may  be  imagined,  the  kennels  of  Mr.  J.  Pierpont  Morgan  near 
Highland  Falls,  N.  Y.,  are  built  with  the  substantiality  and  good  taste 
characteristic  of  that  gentleman.  We  find  here  a  combination  of  kennel 
and  living  house,  for  the  manager  resides  upstairs.  The  approach  from 
the  public  road  is  to  what  is  really  the  rear  of  the  kennels.  A  flight  of 
steps  leads  up  to  the  living  rooms,  and  a  door  at  the  bottom  is  one  of  the 
entrances  to  the  kennels.  The  ground  floor  of  the  central  section  is  used 
for  an  office  and  reception  or  exhibition  room,  with  storage,  bath-rooms  and 
kitchen  in  the  rear  portion.  The  two  wings  are  similar  in  their  ground-floor 
arrangements.  Entering  at  the  door  at  the  foot  of  the  steps  the  visitor 
finds  himself  in  a  passage  terminating  in  doors  at  either  end,  and  with  three 
doors  facing  him.  The  door  to  the  right  leads  to  the  reception-room,  that 
to  the  left  is  an  exit  to  the  driveway  shown  at  the  rear  end  in  the  first 
photograph,  while  those  facing  lead  into  three  large  kennels  each  fitted  with 
a  wide  sleeping-bench  the  length  of  the  room.     Collies  are  kept  in  company. 


44  The  Dog  Book 

very  few  showing  antipathy  to  kennel  mates,  and  it  is  much  better  so  to  keep 
them.  The  first  photograph  shows  the  front  exterior  arrangement. 
Each  of  these  rooms  opens  on  a  cement-floored,  sloping  yard,  with  a  brick 
inclosing  wall,  surmounted  by  a  substantial  wired  erection.  The  centre 
and  wider  door  along  this  row  admits  to  the  wider  yard  facing  the  centre 
section.  There  is  a  corresponding  wide  door  at  the  office  front,  and  here 
dogs  are  boxed  for  transit  to  shows  and  put  on  the  conveyance  standing 
at  this  wide  central  gate.  The  farther  or  western  section  is  a  replica  of 
the  eastern,  except  that  a  kennel-man's  room  is  provided  for  upstairs,  with 
easy  access  to  the  kennel  floor.  Facing  the  driveway  along  the  kennel 
fronts,  as  seen  in  the  first  photograph,  is  an  irregular  triangular  inclosure 
into  which  the  dogs  are  turned  for  exercise;  shown  in  the  second  photograph. 
Of  course  this  is  by  no  means  their  sole  exercise,  for,  as  at  all  large  kennels, 
some  of  the  help  are  perpetually  taking  out  two  or  three  dogs  for  a  run.  In 
addition  to  this  kennel  there  is  another  plainer  one  a  little  distance  to  the 
rear,  where  the  matrons  and  some  of  the  puppies  are  kept.  There  is 
nothing  there  that  is  uncommon :  a  row  of  kennels  under  one  roof,  each 
with  one  or  two  dogs,  and  opening  each  on  its  own  small  yard. 

A  neatly-arranged  kennel  is  seen  in  the  photograph  of  Mr.  Samuel  Unter- 
myer's  collie  home  at  Yonkers,  N.  Y.  Internally  it  is  well  finished  and  has 
the  usual  sleeping-bench  in  each  kennel,  a  passageway  running  the  full 
length  of  the  building.  Outside  we  have  a  much  more  substantial  inclosure 
fence  than  is  customary,  and  it  certainly  gives  a  finished  appearance.  The 
slope  of  the  kennel-yards  is  a  desirable  feature,  and  the  rising  board  walks 
to  the  entrance-doors  are  good  feet-cleaners. 

The  kennels  of  Dr.  Knox,  of  Danbury,  for  his  bloodhounds  are  the  most 
novel  we  have  ever  met  with.  The  guiding  principle  is  that  of  the  barn- 
builder  who  arranges  for  the  live-stock  in  the  "cellar."  The  kennel  is  built 
of  stone  and  is  banked  on  the  wintry-blast  side  to  the  height  of  the  rear  wall. 
The  entrance  is  around  the  corner  to  the  left  of  the  photograph,  and  the 
arrangement  of  the  interior  is  shown  in  the  second  photograph;  five 
roomy  kennels,  with  cement  floor  sloping  to  a  gutter  in  the  centre,  and 
leading  to  a  drain  at  one  end.  The  entire  front  of  each  kennel  is  a  swing- 
ing gate.  The  sleeping-box  is  in  two  parts — the  bottom  and  six-inch  sides 
for  the  straw,  and  over  this  an  upper  box  fits  like  a  tall  cover  and  in  this 
is  cut  the  entrance.  By  this  plan  it  is  possible  to  have  an  open  sleeping- 
bench  for  summer  use,  or  a  covered  one  for  winter. 


Showing  the  driveway  between  the 


^.,ii.ji,.,i.it.iting  with  the  kennel  rooms  ia\ 
on  the  left  of  the  driveway 


cl.isurs  facing  them 


Looking  across  the  large  inclosure  from  the  southerly  corner 

MR.  J.  PIERPONT  MORGAN'S  KENNELS  AT  HIGHLAND  FALLS,  N  .Y 


The  Dog  in  the  House  45 

Management 

Toy  dogs,  especially  Yorkshires,  have  to  be  kept  almost  entirely  on 
the  box  plan  of  confinement  and  with  added  precautions  against  injury 
to  coats.  These  long-coated  toys  sleep  on  the  boards,  for  that  is  not  a  hard- 
ship to  a  dog,  and  many  a  dog  sleeps  on  top  of  his  box  in  preference  to 
lying  on  the  straw  provided  inside.  But  with  dogs  whose  value  and  success 
at  shows  depend  so  much  upon  the  length  and  fine  quality  of  a  coat,  the 
plain  wooden  floor  is  necessary.  So  also  is  the  enfolding  of  the  hind  feet 
in  linen  bandages  covering  the  toes  and  preventing  them  from  tearing  the 
valuable  hairs  by  scratching.  Some  fanciers  use  a  dressing  of  oil  to  keep  the 
coat  from  getting  into  a  tangle,  but  those  most  successful  in  this  country 
do  nothing  but  carefully  brush  the  Yorkshire  daily,  or  even  twice  a  day. 
Toy  spaniels  and  Pomeranians  being  stronger  in  texture  of  coat,  do  not 
call  for  quite  as  much  care,  but  still  it  is  wise  to  use  the  linen  boots  on  the 
hind  feet,  and  of  course  the  daily  brushing  is  absolutely  essential. 

We  have  seen  no  toy  kennels  so  perfect  in  appointments  as  those  of  the 
Swiss  Mountain  Kennels  of  Germantown.  The  toy  kennel  as  shown  is 
in  one  of  the  house  rooms  also  used  as  an  office,  so  that  as  a  rule  some  one 
is  about  all  the  time.  For  exercise  the  sloping  lawn  in  front  of  the  pre- 
revolutionary  house,  so  typical  of  the  Germantown  district,  is  neatly  wired 
off  from  the  carriage  driveway  to  the  left  and  along  the  fence  in  front  of  the 
house,  the  lawn  being  kept  closely  trimmed  at  all  times.  The  slope  to  the 
fence  makes  the  drainage  perfect,  while  in  the  event  of  rain  the  extended 
porch  to  the  right,  shown  in  the  photograph  as  under  an  awning,  is  used 
for  exercising.  The  whole  porch  or  veranda  is  wired  to  keep  the  little 
fellows  either  on  or  off"  as  may  be  desired.  With  toys  more  than  any  other 
breed  of  dogs,  perhaps,  "eternal  vigilance  is  the  price  of  success." 

An  Outdoor  Kennel 

Perhaps  the  most  unique  kennel  is  that  Dr.  Foote  recently  had  at 
New  Rochelle,  consisting  of  rows  of  empty  kerosene  barrels  and  about 
thirty  yards  of  galvanised  wire  strung  from  a  tree  behind  each  barrel  to  a 
tree  in  a  parallel  line.  About  twenty  dogs  were  so  kept  summer  and  winter, 
the  barrels  being  sheltered  from  the  sun  by  the  evergreen  under  which  it  was 
placed,  and  a  sack  over  the  entrance  in  winter  being  all  that  was  necessary 


46  The  Dog  Book 

for  the  occupants,  which  were  mainly  fox-terriers,  smooth  and  wire-coated. 
Dr.  Foote's  black-and-tan  terriers,  of  which  breed  he  was  a  leading  exhibitor 
at  that  time,  were  not  constitutionally  strong  enough  to  stand  that  style  of 
kennelling  in  the  winter.  This  is  simply  carrying  out  the  method  of  chain- 
ing a  dog  to  an  overhead  wire  as  suggested  for  the  watch-dog,  and  applying 
it  to  a  number  of  dogs.  In  this  case  there  was  the  starting-point  of  two 
rows  of  trees  a  suitable  distance  apart.  Such  is  not  always  available,  nor 
perhaps  is  there  space  enough  to  be  had,  hence  an  inclosure  with  a  kennel 
for  the  dog  is  usually  the  only  available  plan.  If  left  to  the  carpenter,  he 
will  build  a  kennel  on  the  plan  adopted  by  the  original  carpenter  and 
handed  down  as  an  heirloom  unto  this  day. 

Some  years  ago  we  had  some  kennels  made  to  order  as  illustrated. 
They  were  in  three  sizes,  being  meant  for  cocker  spaniels,  terriers,  and  still 
larger  for  collies.  All  were  on  the  same  plan,  the  object  being  to  afford 
the  dog  shelter  and  allow  of  easy  cleaning.  It  is  also  a  good  one  for  bitches 
during  whelping.  The  advantages  of  such  a  kennel,  in  addition  to  the  easy 
cleaning,  is  that  in  winter  it  is  very  comfortable,  as  there  is  no  direct  chilling 
wind  on  the  dog.  If  the  dog  simply  wants  shelter,  he  lies  in  the  open  front- 
less  space,  and  in  summer  the  end  door  may  be  removed  entirely  so  that  he 
can  use  either  place  he  likes.  We  found,  however,  that  with  time  the  re- 
movable end  shrank  somewhat  and  was  not  held  securely  by  the  turn-buttons, 
hence  we  suggest  either  the  common  hook  and  eye  screw  or  to  sink  the 
door  and  use  small  bolts  with  auger-holes  through  the  front  and  rear  into 
which  the  bolts  may  be  shot. 

Feeding 

Nearly  every  large  kennel  now  relies  to  some  extent  upon  one  or  other 
of  the  several  makes  of  dog-biscuits,  and  that  the  demand  for  this  convenient 
form  of  food  has  grown  very  much  of  late  years  we  have  good  evidence  in 
the  greater  number  of  firms  engaged  in  supplying  the  needs  of  dog  owners, 
whether  of  small  or  large  kennels.  Usually  in  large  kennels  biscuits  form 
the  morning  meal,  and  for  the  main  meal  of  the  day,  given  in  the  evening, 
food  is  cooked  and  fed  cool  or  cold.  Stale  bread  mixed  with  soup  or  meat; 
mush  made  of  various  condiments  in  which  meat  is  either  mixed  and  cooked 
together,  or  the  mush  is  subsequently  mixed  with  the  soup  and  meat,  forms 
this  main  meal  of  the  day.     It  may  also  consist  of  broken  biscuits,  dry  or 


o 
2    « 


(d 


The  Dog  in  the  House  47 

soaked  in  water  or  soup,  with  or  without  added  meat.     So  that  it  will  be 
seen  that  there  is  a  variety  of  methods  for  feeding. 

No  matter  what  the  material  is  of  which  the  mush  is  made,  there  is  one 
absolute  rule  which  must  be  followed,  or  the  dogs  will  soon  get  out  of  shape: 
that  is,  thorough  cooking.  What  the  grain  is  or  what  meal  may  be  used 
is,  in  our  opinion,  of  far  less  consequence  than  the  most  thorough  cooking. 
For  two  summer  seasons  we  made  the  night  meal  of  stale  bread,  mixed 
variously  with  milk,  buttermilk,  soup,  and  soup  and  meat.  The  first  sum- 
mer we  used  ordinary  stale  bread  got  by  the  barrel.  The  dogs  kept  all  right 
till  the  end  of  August,  and  then  there  was  trouble.  We  should  say  that  a 
variation  was  made  in  the  evening  meal  by  using  broken  biscuits  soaked  in 
soup  or  with  a  little  meat  added. 

The  next  year  we  decided  to  try  oven-dried  stale  bread,  fearing  that 
perhaps  some  of  the  ordinary  stale  bread  had  become  mouldy  and  had 
thus  affected  the  dogs.  The  result  was  the  same :  dogs  were  all  right  until 
September,  and  then  almost  the  whole  kennel  went  wrong.  We  decided 
against  bread  as  the  staple  for  the  third  summer  and  tried  broken  rice  as 
the  main  food,  adopting  after  several  trials  a  home-made  jacket-cooker  con- 
sisting of  a  deep  tin  pail  which  sinks  to  within  three  inches  of  the  top  in  a 
straight-sided  galvanised-iron  wash-tub.  Perhaps  one  of  those  galvanised- 
iron  ash-holders  might  answer  the  purpose.  With  this  combination  the 
meat  can  be  cooked  in  the  jacket-boiler  while  the  rice-mixture  is  boiled  in 
the  pail.  This  third  year  the  dogs  did  well  all  through,  but  were  rather  poor 
in  flesh.  Late  in  August  we  added  half  rolled  oats,  but  there  was  little  im- 
provement in  condition,  and  in  October,  thinking  that  our  bHe  notre^  corn- 
meal,  might  be  ventured,  we  mixed  equal  quantities  of  rice,  rolled  oats  and 
ground  hominy,  and  the  beneficial  resuh  was  at  once  apparent.  The  dogs 
put  on  flesh  and  thrived  wonderfully,  and  so  far  as  we  are  concerned  we  have 
solved  the  problem  of  feeding  cooked  food  and  keeping  clear  of  skin  troubles. 
Our  main  reliance  is  in  the  perfect  cooking,  and  for  that  purpose  rice  in  the 
mixture  is  very  essential.  On  one  occasion  we  even  had  uncracked  oats 
put  in  by  mistake,  and  tried  that  with  some  misgivings,  but  it  cooked  quite 
as  soon  as  the  rice,  and  when  that  is  soft  and  fully  swollen  one  may  depend 
upon  corn-meal  or  hominy  being  done,  too.  The  latter,  unless  thoroughly 
cooked,  will  in  a  month  set  a  kennel  of  dogs  scratching  themselves  to  pieces. 

Whatever  meat  you  get,  have  it  clean  and  sweet.  Kennels  in  a  farming 
country  can  generally  procure  a  cow  or  horse,  and  so  long  as  the  meat  keeps 


48  The  Dog  Book 

sweet  it  is  all  right.  With  city  kennels  meat  is  an  item  that  tells.  Country 
kennels  also  get  milk  at  a  cheap  rate,  as  a  rule,  and  it  should  be  known  by 
all  dog-fanciers  that  exhibitors  of  rabbits  are  strong  believers  in  milk  for 
putting  a  polish  on  the  coat  of  their  exhibition  animals,  so  when  procurable 
it  may  well  be  added  to  the  kennel  bill  of  fare. 

There  has  perhaps  been  more  discussion  as  to  milk  for  dogs,  particu- 
larly puppies,  than  anything  else  in  the  dietary  line.  Some  hold  that  milk 
is  a  fruitful  source  of  worms  in  puppies.  The  fact  is,  that  there  is  milk  and 
milk.  Warm  milk  from  the  cow  is  a  very  different  thing  from  cold  skimmed- 
milk,  and  even  the  best  of  cow's-milk  is  radically  different  from  the  milk 
of  a  bitch. 

Mr.  A.  J.  Sewall,  the  London  veterinarian,  who  makes  dogs  a  specialty, 
has  recently  drawn  the  attention  of  English  dog-owners  to  this  difference  in 
these  milks,  and  he  gives  the  following  analysis  of  the  two: 

Cow's  milk.  Bitch's  milk. 

Water 87.4  66.3 

Butter 40  H-8 

Sugar  and  soluble  salts 5*^  ^-9 

Casein  and  insoluble  salts 3.6  16.0 

When,  therefore,  you  weaken  the  milk  by  skimming  it,  think  of  how 
the  poor  puppy  must  gorge  itself  in  order  to  get  the  necessary  nourishment 
in  order  merely  to  live,  let  alone  thrive. 

In  place  of  weakening  the  cow's  milk  it  should  be  enriched,  either  by 
concentration  in  the  way  of  boiling  and  thus  evaporating  the  water,  or 
by  adding  eggs.  It  is  remarkable  how  closely  eggs  and  bitch's  milk  agree  in 
analysis,  they  being  practically  the  same  with  the  exception  of  the  lack  of 
sugar  in  eggs.  Now,  if  one  appreciates  that  he  is  substituting  milk  for 
eggs  and  milk,  or  in  some  cases  skim-milk  for  eggs  and  milk,  he  will  not  be 
surprised  at  his  puppies  going  wrong. 

A  puppy  has  a  small  stomach,  and  what  it  gets  from  its  dam  is  very  rich 
food.  Then,  if  left  to  herself  the  dam  would,  as  soon  as  her  flow  of  milk 
fell  off,  disgorge  half-digested  meat,  and  this  the  puppies  would  eat.  Their 
food  would  be  almost  entirely  half-digested  meat,  if  she  could  get  it,  and  it  is 
thus  seen  how  radically  wrong  it  is  to  suppose  that  poor  milk  will  by  itself 
do  for  dogs— especially  young,  growing  animals.     Mr.  Sewall's  suggestion 


The  lawn  is  inclosed  by  wire  netting  ; 


SWISS    MOUNTAIN    KENNELS    AT    GERMANTOWN 

ng  the  carriage  drive  to  the  left,  the  fence  at  the  foot  of  the  slope  and  at  the  end  of  the  law 
(not  shown  on  the  photograph).     See  text  for  fuller  description 


I  to  the  right 


THE    DE  MUND  AND    NICHOLS*    RUSSIAN    WOLFHOUND    KENNELS   AT    SADDLE    RIVER,    N.  J 

Showing  the  ample  yard  room  provided  for  such  dogs,  with  good  shade  in  summer 


The  Dog  in  the  House  49 

for  strengthening  milk  is  to  add  to  each  pint  of  good  cow's  milk  two  and 
a  quarter  ounces  of  cream  and  two  and  a  half  ounces  of  powdered  casein. 
Mix  in  that  order  and  stir  thoroughly  till  the  casein  is  dissolved.  Only 
about  a  third  of  the  quantity  of  ordinary  milk  one  would  give  a  puppy 
is  needed  when  this  concentrated  milk  diet  is  used. 


Protected  on  the  bad-weather  side  by  being  built  into  a  bank  which  reaches  to  the  rear  eaves.     An  exceedintrly  cool  Iceuncl  i; 
comfortable  in  winter,  with  the  covered  sleeping  boxes  as  shown  in  the  interior  view 

DR.  KNOX'S  BLOODHOUND  KENNELS  AT  DANBURY,  CONN. 


CHAPTER   III 

Exhibition  Dogs 

BEGINNER,  or  the  ordinary  onlooker  when  dogs  are  being 
judged,  seeing  that  a  good  many  of  the  ribbons  go  to  a 
select  number  of  those  who  are  showing  dogs,  is  apt  to 
conclude  that  it  is  impossible  to  win  against  these  success- 
ful showers.  The  disappointed  exhibitor,  chagrined  at 
want  of  success,  is  apt  to  attribute  it  to  the  connivance  on  the  part  of  the 
judge  and  the  men  who  win  so  many  prizes.  But  what  has  the  disap- 
pointed exhibitor  done  to  deserve  success  ?  Consider  the  fact  that  he  feeds 
his  dog  till  it  is  more  fit  to  win  at  a  fat-stock  show;  that  he  brings  it  to  the 
show  "in  the  rough" — perhaps  with  a  lot  of  old  dead  coat  still  on  it.  An 
immense  blue  bow  is  tied  to  its  collar,  and  when  he  is  asked  to  walk  his  dog 
around  the  ring,  he  has  to  drag  it  through  the  sawdust  because  it  does  not 
know  how  to  follow  on  the  chain.  On  the  other  hand,  the  successful  owner 
or  kennel-man  has  educated  his  dog  to  show  himself  to  the  best  advantage. 
It  has  been  early  taught  to  wear  a  collar  and  has  been  accustomed  to  the 
chain.  Every  day  perhaps  he  has  been  led  into  a  counterpart  ring,  his 
handler  having  a  few  little  dainty  pieces  in  his  pocket.  Then  the  youngster, 
if  a  terrier,  collie,  or  Great  Dane,  is  set  to  face  his  handler,  who  gives  him  a 
piece  of  meat  and  keeps  him  in  expectation  of  more.  The  dog  has  to  go 
through  this  little  act  so  often  that  he  is  alert  when  he  is  led  into  the  ring  at 
a  show;  all  his  mind  is  on  the  good  things  he  is  going  to  get  a  nibble  of.  The 
result  is,  that  the  dog  is  full  of  life  and  animation.  Then,  too,  he  has  been 
groomed  daily,  the  old  coat  was  taken  off  weeks  before,  and  with  every 
attention  to  his  condition  of  flesh,  he  is  put  down  "  fit."  Not  only  is  it  a 
case  of  merited  reward  to  the  dog,  but  also  to  the  man  at  the  other  end  of 
the  chain,  just  as  much  as  the  trainer  of  the  winner  of  a  great  event  on  the 
turf  is  deserving  of  praise,  where  horses  are  said  to  be  "in  the  pink  of  con- 
dition." 

Another  point  is  that  these  experts  know  where  their  dog  is  wrong,  for 
much  as  it  may  surprise  some  very  confident  owners,  there  has  never  been  a 

SI 


52  The  Dog  Book 

perfect  dog  seen  yet,  of  all  the  many  hundreds  of  prize-winners.  When  one 
knows  where  his  dog  is  deficient,  he  is  not  likely  to  put  that  deficiency  more 
prominently  before  the  judge  than  he  can  avoid.  Whereas,  if  the  dog  is 
particularly  good  in  any  feature,  you  may  depend  upon  it,  that  is  what  the 
judge  is  most  persistently  invited  to  gaze  upon.  A  man  who  does  not  knov/ 
where  his  dog  is  wrong  is  likely  to  be  unknowingly  doing  it  all  the  harm  he 
can  by  the  way  in  which  he  is  allowing  it  to  stand. 

One  of  the  first  things  a  puppy  should  be  taught  is  to  follow  on  lead; 
and  this  should  begin  with  the  putting  on  of  a  collar.  Let  the  youngster 
wear  that  for  a  few  days  until  he  ceases  to  pay  attention  to  it.  Sometimes 
a  puppy  that  is  full  of  play  and  life  will  almost  take  naturally  to  the  lead, 
and  others  are  very  slow  to  learn.  In  the  latter  case  try  persuasion,  remem- 
bering that  the  best  way  to  a  dog's  heart  is  down  his  throat.  Get  a  few 
pieces  of  meat  and  drop  your  end  of  the  lead.  Then  offer  the  puppy  a  piece 
of  meat,  and  it  might  be  well  to  have  him  hungry  for  this  lesson.  He  will 
come  sooner  or  later  for  the  meat,  so  keep  moving  about  and  giving  it  in 
small  scraps,  then  take  off  the  lead  when  you  have  done.  Try  this  again 
the  next  day,  and  when  he  has  become  so  accustomed  to  the  lead  as  to  race 
about  with  it  on,  take  hold  of  it  and  feed  him  as  before  walking  about.  If 
he  balks,  stop  at  once  and  get  him  to  come  naturally  to  you  for  the  meat. 
Associate  the  lead  with  some  pleasure  and  not  with  a  punishment  in  the 
case  of  timid  dogs.  Also  from  time  to  time  feed  him  with  scraps  when  on 
the  lead  and  so  prepare  him  for  showing.  Even  if  dogs  have  not  all  to  be 
shown  as  terriers  and  on  the  alert,  like  spaniels  for  instance,  yet  there  is  the 
association  of  the  lead  with  a  pleasure  and  the  dog  is  livelier. 

Bear  in  mind  that  no  dog  should  rely  on  past  record  to  win,  any  more 
than  a  racehorse  does,  but  ought  to  win  on  its  merits  as  shown,  and 
herein  condition  plays  a  prominent  part,  if  the  judging  is  done  by  a  capable 
man,  in  a  proper  manner.  Hence  it  behooves  every  owner,  particularly 
of  a  good  young  dog,  to  show  him  on  the  first  occasion  in  as  perfect  condition 
as  possible.  It  is  better  to  wait  till  a  later  show  than  to  give  him  a  set-back 
to  begin  with. 

In  order  to  do  justice  to  the  dog,  provided  he  has  been  broken  to  the 
lead  and  is  bright  and  lively,  and  will  show  off  to  advantage,  attention  must 
be  turned  to  having  him  in  good  bodily  condition.  This  should  not  be 
delayed  until  close  to  the  show,  but  must  be  attended  to  during  some  two 
months  prior  to  the  proposed  time  of  exhibiting. 


Exhibition  Dogs  53 

Go  over  the  dog  carefully  and  get  rid  of  any  old  coat  that  may  be  still 
on  him.  An  Irish  water-spaniel,  for  instance,  carries  a  lot  of  dead,  faded 
coat,  and  this  should  be  removed  by  combing  and  with  the  fingers.  It  is 
not  intended  in  any  way  to  advocate  the  plucking  of  a  bad-coated  dog  and 
the  imposing  of  a  naturally  woolly-coated  dog  by  getting  him  in  right  shape 
just  once  a  year.  Some  bring  into  the  ring  a  dog  so  manifestly  barbered 
as  to  not  deceive  a  blind  man,  though  the  judges  too  frequently  fail  to  see 
the  plain  marks  of  the  clipper  and  singeing.  It  is,  however,  perfectly 
legitimate  to  remove  the  old  coat  in  early  preparation,  as  an  assistance  to 
nature.  In  the  case  of  terriers  which  have  a  rough  coat,  and  yet  should 
not  be  shown  shaggy,  the  coat  may  be  at  its  full,  but  would  not  naturally  be 
cast  for  some  weeks.  To  take  that  already  loose  coat  off  two  months  before 
a  show  is  perfectly  legitimate.  If  it  is  not  done,  the  dog  will  not  get  rid  of  it 
for  several  weeks,  and  the  new  coat  will  be  too  short  at  the  time  of  the  show. 
In  the  East,  if  we  have  a  wire-haired  terrier  shedding  in  November,  he  may 
be  allowed  to  do  it  naturally,  aided  only  by  the  daily  grooming  with  the 
brush.  Thus  he  will  be  ready  for  the  spring  shows  of  February  and  last 
till  April,  when,  unless  he  is  a  very  good-coated  dog,  he  will  go  off  and  call 
for  a  good  deal  of  attention. 

A  collie  is  a  dog  that  very  little  can  be  done  for,  as  his  coat  cannot  be 
forced  to  any  appreciable  extent.  In  the  East  he  is  too  long  at  low-water- 
mark in  coat,  and  if  he  is  casting  his  coat  might  as  well  be  given  up  for  a 
show  that  is  not  in  the  near  future.  That  is  one  great  difficulty  connected 
with  the  showing  of  long-coated  dogs.  With  smooth  terriers,  pointers,  and 
Great  Danes  this  difficulty  does  not  exist,  and  it  is  simply  a  question  of  put- 
ting them  into  bodily  condition. 

The  matter  of  the  first  preparation  of  the  coat  having  been  attended 
to,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  give  the  candidate  an  aperient.  It  will  do  no  harm 
if  this  takes  the  shape  of  a  vermifuge,  serving  the  double  purpose  of 
clearing  the  system  together  with  getting  rid  of  internal  parasites,  which  are 
a  fruitful  source  of  annoyance  in  conditioning  dogs.  After  that  comes  the 
daily  work  of  grooming,  giving  plenty  of  brisk  exercise  and  feeding  well. 
The  exercise  will  give  a  good  appetite,  and  it  is  more  advisable  to  respond 
to  this  by  a  more  liberal  allowance  of  meat  than  to  give  more  food  in  the 
dish.  Dogs  that  are  supposed  to  work  or  to  be  fit  to  race  have  to  be  shown 
with  good,  hard  muscle,  hence  we  have  more  faith  in  the  playful  half- 
hour  of  sharp  running  when  liberated  from  the  shut-up  kennel  than  in  the 


54  The  Dog  Book 

dawdling  about  all  day  in  a  kennel-yard  in  the  belief  that  the  latter  is  muscle- 
building  exercise.  This  applies  also  to  the  prolonged  road-walking  on  the 
lead.  There  is  a  good  deal  of  the  artificial  in  all  this,  but  it  is  no  more 
artificial  than  any  other  preparation  for  a  competition,  and  it  is  the  neglect 
of  this  preparation  which  has  caused  many  an  avoidable  defeat. 

It  sometimes  occurs  that  a  dog  declines  to  eat  as  much  as  is  necessary, 
and  hence  will  not  put  on  flesh.  Tape-worm  should  then  be  tried  for,  and  if 
a  good  vermifuge  properly  administered  to  the  dog  after  a  preparatory  fast 
is  not  productive  of  satisfactory  results,  it  is  likely  that  the  dog  is  one  of  the 
kind  known  as  a  "bad  doer."  These  dogs  are  very  difficult  to  get  right,  for 
while  they  will  eat  one  day  very  well,  they  are  off  their  feed  for  a  day  or  two 
afterward.  Some  proceed  to  dose  such  a  dog  with  arsenic  and  strychnine, 
but  these  conditioners  are  bad  things  to  resort  to  as  a  starter,  and  it  is  much 
better  to  get  some  tonic  pills.  There  are  none  better  than  the  following: 
Quinine,  12  grains;  sulphate  of  iron,  18  grains;  extract  of  gentian,  24  grains; 
powdered  ginger,  18  grains.  This  is  sufficient  for  twelve  pills.  As  two  may 
be  administered  daily,  a  sufficient  quantity  may  as  well  be  ordered  at  one 
time.  To  aid  digestion  give  a  pinch  of  pepsin  or  a  little  nux  vomica  in  the 
drinking  water  with  the  food.  When  the  dog  will  not  of  his  own  volition  eat 
the  desired  quantity  of  food,  it  becomes  necessary  to  improve  the  quality, 
and  raw  scraped  beef,  beaten  eggs,  and  anything  else  he  will  eat  must  be 
provided. 

That  is  the  customary  way  to  treat  a  "bad  doer,"  but  never  when  pos- 
sible to  avoid  it  do  I  administer  medicines  in  my  own  kennel,  and  I  have 
always  adhered  to  the  method  of  the  late  Sidney  Smith,  famed  in  connection 
with  St.  Bernards.  I  called  once  at  his  house  in  Leeds,  England,  and  seeing 
a  dog  under  the  table  in  the  parlor,  asked  what  he  was  doing  there.  "Oh, 
we  are  cake-feeding  him."  That  expression  being  a  new  one,  I  asked 
what  it  meant.  Then  Mr.  Smith  told  me  that  when  they  had  a  dog  that 
was  hard  to  condition  and  would  not  eat  enough,  he  was  brought  into  the 
house  and  a  supply  of  cakes  was  kept  on  the  table  from  which  he  was  fed 
all  day  long.  A  dog,  even  when  not  hungry,  will  feed  from  the  hand,  almost 
to  oblige  his  owner;  and  when  he  has  had  all  he  will  take  of  cake,  will  eat 
something  else.  Taking  it  in  small  quantities  in  this  manner,  the  appetite 
does  not  get  cloyed,  as  is  the  case  with  a  hearty  meal.  This  is  a  method 
I  have  tried  successfully  on  dogs  that  were  hard  to  condition. 

In  order  to  know  what  your  dogs  are  doing  at  the  trencher,  it  is  well 


Exhibition  Dogs  55 

to  feed  each  one  separately.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  dogs,  some  feed- 
ing nicely  in  company,  others  refusing  to  eat  unless  alone,  while  there  are 
some  that  will  only  "eat  jealous" — that  is,  they  will  keep  on  eating  to  deprive 
another  dog  near-by — not  one  that  will  fight,  however,  but  one  just  hungry 
and  plucky  enough  to  show  anxiety  to  get  his  turn  at  the  dish.  A  dog  that 
runs  from  one  dish  to  another  driving  the  others  away,  must  be  excluded 
from  company  and  fed  by  himself.  While  there  is  no  objection  to  feeding 
well-behaved  dogs  together,  the  better  plan  is  to  feed  individually,  so  as  to 
note  appetites.  As  a  final  accelerant,  if  it  is  advisable  to  put  an  extra  polish 
on  the  dog,  there  is  less  harm  in  the  following  than  in  the  pure  Fowler's 
solution  of  arsenic.  Take  equal  quantities  of  decoction  of  yellow-bark  and 
compound  tincture  of  bark,  giving  from  half  a  teaspoon  to  two  teaspoon- 
fuls,  according  to  size  of  dog,  in  a  little  water  twice  a  day,  and  into  this  drop 
from  four  to  eight  drops  of  Fowler's  solution  of  arsenic.  Administer  this 
regularly  for  three  weeks  prior  to  the  show,  and  the  benefit  of  the  treatment 
will  be  manifest  in  the  appearance  of  the  coat. 

Having,  let  us  hope,  got  your  dog  or  dogs  feeling  "like  fighting  cocks," 
the  week  preceding  the  show,  it  becomes  a  question  as  to  washing  prior  to 
shipping.  If  the  journey  is  short,  and  the  dog  has  merely  a  one-night  trip 
to  the  show,  washing,  if  done  at  all,  should  be  done  some  three,  or  at  least 
two,  days  before  shipping.  I  say,  if  done  at  all,  as  it  is  not  essential  for 
some  dogs,  if  they  have  been  properly  groomed  and  cared  for,  and  in  some 
breeds  it  is  detrimental  to  the  coat,  especially  those  which  are  required  to 
be  wiry-coated.  All  such  dogs  are  but  moderate  in  length  of  coat,  and  the 
brush  and  hand-glove  should  have  been  used  enough  to  have  a  clean  coat 
with  a  good  polish  on  it.  But  when  we  come  to  breeds  that  are  soft  in  coat 
or  call  for  a  coat  showing  length  and  bulk,  such  as  the  collie,  a  good  wash  is 
advisable  and  makes  a  vast  difference  in  the  quantity  look  of  the  coat.  Use 
the  very  best  soap,  plenty  of  water  no  warmer  than  is  absolutely  necessary, 
rinse  most  thoroughly,  and  dry  by  first  taking  off  all  water  possible  by 
squeezing  and  with  the  sponge,  then  dry  with  towels.  Use  warm  ones  as 
the  coat  begins  to  dry,  but  finally  use  your  hands,  drawing  them  the  way 
of  the  coat  in  short-coated  dogs,  and  in  collies  and  borzois,  whose  coat  is  a 
standing-out  one,  do  it  both  ways,  with  the  coat  and  the  reverse,  until  there 
is  not  the  slightest  feeling  of  dampness.  This  hand-rubbing  is  a  great 
polisher,  and  if  the  washing  has  been  unavoidably  delayed,  it  may  be  im- 
proved upon  by  rubbing  on  the  hands  an  infinitesimal  quantity  of  fine  oil. 


56  The  Dog  Book 

Only  the  very  slightest  quantity  is  advisable,  and  one  should  rub  the  hands 
together  well,  so  that  there  is  merely  the  feeling  of  oil.  Then  touch  the 
coat  lii^htly  all  over  and  gradually  rub  it  in  more  completely  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  the  coat  was  dried  by  the  hands.  The  English  Kennel  Club  holds 
that  this  application  of  oil  is  faking,  but  that  club  has  a  habit  of  straining 
at  gnats  and  swallowing  camels.  Polishing  the  coat  to  give  it  its  natural 
appearance  is  a  vastly  different  thing  from  using  dyes  or  colouring  materials 
to  give  the  dog  an  appearance  it  has  not  naturally,  or  from  the  outrageous 
trimming  which  the  very  legislators  themselves  pass  over  when  they  are  acting 
as  judges.  One  of  them  even  went  the  length  of  recently  stating  over  his 
signature  that  the  trimming  of  the  dogs  he  had  judged  was  shameful,  but 
that  it  should  not  be  left  to  the  judge  to  take  any  action.  If  he  is  not  the 
very  man  above  all  others  whose  duty  it  is  to  examine  the  dogs  and  pass 
upon  them,  then  who  is  f 

If  possible,  have  your  dogs  arrive  at  the  show  before  the  opening  day, 
if  they  have  more  than  a  short  trip.  Even  with  an  eight-hours'  journey  a 
morning  start  is  to  be  preferred,  and  a  good  night's  rest  is  needed  before  the 
morning  of  the  judging.  It  makes  a  wonderful  amount  of  difference  in  the 
snap  and  life  of  the  dog,  if  he  is  journey-wearied  when  in  the  ring.  Early 
arrivals  also  get  best  places  for  their  boxes,  and  can  generally  find  a  quiet 
corner  where  they  can  be  got  at  easily  and  their  dogs  are  comfortably  sleep- 
ing in  their  boxes  the  night  before  the  judging.  After  that  it  depends  upon 
the  individual  dog,  for  some  are  just  as  much  at  home  and  sleep  as  well  on 
the  bench  as  in  their  boxes,  and  that  kind  need  not  be  worried  about  so 
much  the  night  before  the  judging. 

By  the  time  you  have  arrived  at  the  show  you  ought  to  know  your  dog 
very  well — how  he  feeds  and  how  he  looks  best.  A  dog  a  bit  long  in  the 
back  or  legs  must  not  be  shown  unless  he  has  a  feed  inside  him  sufficient  to 
counteract  that  defect  as  much  as  possible.  Such  dogs  are  apt  to  be  delicate 
feeders,  and  if  fed  a  hearty  meal  too  soon,  there  will  be  no  coaxing  them  to 
eat  and  fill  out  at  the  right  time.  It  is  better  in  such  a  case  to  give  little  or 
nothing  till  the  right  moment.  By  that  time  bread  and  milk  will  likely  be 
acceptable  and  is  a  good  filler  out,  for  the  dog  will  usually  eat  it  freely.  For 
that  reason  the  refrigerator  milk  is  rather  too  cold  and  had  better  be  poured 
out  of  the  bottle  and  allowed  to  stand  in  the  pan  to  get  the  chill  off,  or  other- 
wise warmed.  If  more  food  is  needed  than  the  dog  will  take  of  the  bread  and 
milk,  have  a  little  chopped  meat  and  mix  in  the  dish,  gradually  increasing 


THE  VERONA  KENNELS  AT  PLEAS  ANTON,  CAL. 

Where  Mrs.  Phoebe  C.  Hearst  kept  her  does  together  with  those  Mr.  J.  E.  De  Ruyter  was  interested  in.     The  kennel  was 
handsomely  fitted  up  throughout,  the  one  interior  shown  being  that  of  the  feed  room 


Exhibition  Dogs  57 

the  quantity  as  he  stops  eating  until  he  has  had  all  that  is  necessary.  As 
the  effect  of  this  meal  is  at  once  apparent  in  the  shape  of  the  dog,  it  should 
not  be  given  until  it  is  assured  that  the  class  will  be  called  at  once. 

It  will  also  be  necessary  to  see  to  the  coat.  If  the  dog  has  become 
fouled  and  dirty  on  the  trip,  washing  may  be  necessary,  but  if  the  brush  will 
suffice,  try  that.  If  the  dog  is  not  foul,  but  simply  somewhat  dirty  with 
"clean-dirt,"  as  the  children  say,  there  is  a  better  plan,  and  that  is  the  use 
of  powdered  magnesia.  There  are  special  preparations,  but  that  is  good 
enough;  it  is  procurable  everywhere  and  it  is  cheap.  Stand  the  dog  on  a 
newspaper — put  on  a  box  if  he  is  not  a  large  dog — take  a  handful  of  the 
magnesia  and  rub  it  well  into  the  coat.  When  you  brush  it  out,  as  you  must, 
it  will  leave  the  coat  clean,  and  really  the  white  will  be  almost  whiter  than 
that  of  the  washed  dog,  besides  having  the  luster  on  it.  Bear  in  mind  that 
this  is  a  very  different  thing  from  putting  black  on  a  black-and-tan  terrier 
where  nature  has  put  tan  hairs,  or  the  rubbing  of  a  red  composition  on  an 
Irish  terrier  that  is  not  dark  enough  in  shade.  This  is  a  custom  not  alto- 
gether unknown  in  England,  where  a  very  prominent — in  fact,  about  the 
most  prominent — exhibitor  has  been  disqualified  for  seven  years.  The 
punishment  is  not  too  severe  by  any  means,  and  now  if  the  trimmers  are 
only  dealt  with  in  a  similar  way,  some  good  may  be  done. 

Returning  to  the  magnesia,  we  may  say  that  there  is  hardly  a  fox- 
terrier  shown  but  is  so  treated  before  being  taken  into  the  ring.  The  same 
thing  may  be  done  to  the  white  legs  and  frill  of  the  collies,  or  for  any  kind 
of  white  dog.  However,  be  sure  to  have  it  completely  brushed  out  before 
showing;  finishing  off  with  the  hand-glove.  Your  terrier  is  now  ready  for 
the  judging. 

With  collies  and  dogs  required  to  show  coat,  it  is  advisable  to  over- 
come the  heat  and  dryness  of  our  dog-show  halls  and  the  sun-heat  of  our 
summer  and  fall  shows  by  getting  up  an  imitation  Scotch  mist  or  a  sample 
of  English  rainy  days.  Two  hours  before  your  collie  is  likely  to  be  called 
up  for  judgment,  take  him  off  the  bench  and  rub  a  wet  sponge  or  towel  up 
and  down  his  coat.  Do  not  make  him  dripping  wet,  but  have  him  well 
dampened  through  the  coat.  Let  him  shake  himself,  and  put  him  back  on 
the  bench.  The  dog  has  to  dry  out  and  no  more  in  order  to  be  at  his  best, 
so  keep  one  eye  on  your  dog  and  the  other  on  the  ring.  If  he  is  not  drying 
out  quick  enough,  use  a  dry  towel  or  take  him  off  the  bench  and  walk  him 
about  or  turn  him  into  the  exercising-ring  to  run  about.     If  you  have  timed 


58  The  Dog  Book 

your  work  properly  your  dog  will  enter  the  ring  with  each  hair  individualised, 
"like  quills  upon  the  fretful  porcupine,"  while  his  unattended  neighbour 
with  his  dry  coat  hanging  flat  to  his  side  will  be  at  a  decided  disadvantage. 
This  dampening  of  the  coat  is  more  particularly  necessary  in  the  black-and- 
tans,  for  as  a  rule  their  coats  lack  the  substance  and  the  stand-out  quality  of 
the  sables. 

We  are  now  at  the  stage  where  the  class  may  be  called  within  a  few 
minutes.  There  are  certain  things  that  are  better  attended  to  in  the  exer- 
cise-ring than  in  the  judges'  ring,  so  take  your  dog  there  for  a  few  moments, 
or  at  least  walk  him  around  for  a  little  so  that  when  he  gets  into  the  ring 
you  can  command  his  undivided  attention.  If  you  have  a  real  good  dog, 
one  that  will  "stand  a  lot  of  picking  to  pieces,"  get  into  the  ring  as  soon  as 
you  can,  for  while  the  judge  is  awaiting  the  announcement,  "All  in,  sir,"  he 
will  be  looking  about,  and  the  more  he  sees  of  your  good  dog  the  better  he 
will  like  him.  Also,  if  your  dog  is  inclined  to  be  timid,  let  him  get  accus- 
tomed to  his  surroundings,  and  with  such  a  dog  do  not  omit  to  take  something 
in  your  pocket  that  he  will  take  interest  enough  in  to  enable  him  to  forget 
that  he  is  a  little  afraid.  Never  pull  such  a  dog  about  or  scold  him,  but 
humour  him  as  much  as  possible.  A  judge  can  always  tell  when  a  handler 
is  doing  his  best  for  such  a  dog,  and  will  give  the  exhibit  time  to  come  to 
himself. 

Remember  above  everything  that  the  dog  is  on  exhibition  and  not  you, 
and  it  is  your  place  to  show  him  to  the  best  advantage.  The  judge  may 
perhaps  find  that  he  is  wide  in  front,  but  that  is  no  excuse  for  your  letting 
him  see  nothing  but  those  straddling  forelegs.  Try  him  with  the  nice  out- 
line and  the  good  back  your  dog  shows.  On  the  other  hand,  if  your  exhibit 
is  a  bulldog  and  his  strong  suit  is  a  naturally  wide  front  with  straight  legs, 
have  the  judge  admire  that  all  the  time  if  you  can,  for  it  is  his  business  to 
detect  any  defect  behind  and  not  yours  to  show  it  conspicuously.  If  you 
are  having  your  photograph  taken  and  have  a  scar  on  one  side  of  your  face, 
you  naturally  turn  your  other  cheek  to  the  camera,  not  for  the  purpose  of 
deceit,  but  to  present  a  good  appearance,  or  your  best  side.  So  it  is  in  dog- 
showing:  present  the  best  side  to  the  judge  and  minimise  as  much  as  possible 
the  drawback  of  the  scar  or  blemish. 

Do  not  keep  your  dog  at  attention  all  the  time,  for  just  when  the  judge 
happens  to  turn  your  way,  as  likely  as  not  your  dog  will  want  a  change,  or 
is  taking  interest  in  something  else,  and  you  must  shape  him  up  again. 


TIMID    AND    AFRAID   TO 
SHOW    HERSELF 


MR    \V.  H.  SAXliY  TRIES  HIS  HAND    AND    SHE    D(.iEa 

LETTER  LOOKING  AT  HER  OWN  HANDLER, 

MR.  JOE  LEWIS 


"doesn't    look    LIKE    THE    SAME    DOG' 

SHOWING  A  BEAGLE 


Exhibition  Dogs  59 

Watch  the  judge,  and  when  his  back  is  turned  or  he  has  put  you  in  the  corner 
after  a  satisfactory  inspection  of  your  dog,  let  doggy  be  at  ease.  If  you  are 
not  yet  picked  out  for  a  mark  of  some  kind,  never  lose  track  of  the  judge. 
As  his  eye  travels  your  way,  have  your  dog  ready  in  his  best  possible  pose, 
standing  square  on  his  legs,  not  struggling  to  get  at  other  dogs,  or  back  on 
his  haunches  looking  up  at  you  too  much.  That  looks  all  right  to  you,  per- 
haps, but  the  judge  may  have  him  all  out  of  shape  from  his  point  of  view. 

Many  make  the  mistake  of  trying  to  show  dogs  of  one  breed  as  they  do 
of  another  breed,  whereas  there  are  certain  characteristics  pertaining  to 
each  variety  which  should  not  be  overlooked.  In  St.  Bernards,  mastiffs, 
greyhounds,  hounds,  setters  and  pointers  you  want  no  particular  keenness 
in  expression,  and  the  elevation  or  lifting  of  the  ears  is  a  detraction  in  the 
case  of  the  first  two  breeds,  the  look  of  size  in  skull  and  dignity  in  expression 
being  lost.  In  setters,  pointers  and  hounds,  the  shape  of  the  skull  is  spoilt 
by  ears  too  high  on  the  head,  they  being  required,  in  their  cases,  to  hang 
well  down  and  close  to  the  side  of  the  head;  in  greyhounds  and  wolfhounds 
the  symmetry  is  spoilt  very  much  by  a  pricked  or  lifted  ear,  even  admitting 
that  the  Russian  fanciers  speak  of  the  horse's  ear  as  proper.  Nothing  that 
detracts  from  appearance  can  be  beneficial — even  if  for  fancy's  sake  some 
call  it  proper. 

Terriers,  prick-eared  and  cropped-eared  dogs  call  for  a  keen  or  a  smart 
look,  and  should  have  all  encouragement  to  hold  their  ears  well  up  if  pricked 
or  cropped,  and  smartly  and  with  a  keen  look  of  the  eyes  in  the  case  of 
natural-eared  terriers.  So  also  with  the  collie  and  his  semi-erect  ear  when 
at  attention.  It  is  usual  to  get  the  collie  to  "throw  his  ears"  by  throwing 
something  on  the  ground  a  short  distance  in  front  of  him,  but  this  calls  for 
judgment.  Some  dogs  carry  a  rather  high  ear,  and  in  such  a  case  do  not 
throw  too  far  ahead,  but  so  that  the  dog  will  look  rather  more  down  in  front 
than  ahead.  Of  course,  in  the  case  of  ears  not  quite  high  enough,  have  the 
dog  look  up  slightly  if  possible,  or  well  ahead.  In  spaniels  the  one  great  char- 
acteristic is  a  tail  carried  down,  yet  it  is  very  common  to  see  even  spaniel  men 
of  prominence  holding  their  spaniel's  tail  slightly  elevated  instead  of  leaving 
it  alone.  Some  foolish  showers  will,  in  the  case  of  a  spaniel  short  of  lip,  keep 
drawing  the  attention  of  the  judge  to  this  defect  by  pulling  the  lip  down  and 
holding  it  so.  Such  a  course  is  merely  saying  to  the  judge  that  the  dog  is 
defective  there. 

The  less  one  handles  a  dog  in  the  ring  the  better,  as  a  rule,  but  some 


6o  The  Dog  Book 

judges  seem  to  be  at  the  mercy  of  handlers  who  put  a  dog  in  a  fancy  position 
he  cannot  assume  naturally,  place  each  foot  of  a  setter  in  a  particular  place, 
hold  his  head  just  so,  and  then  his  tail  straight.  Now,  if  any  man  has  ever 
seen  a  setter  hold  his  tail  stiff  and  straight  naturally,  he  has  seen  a  curiosity. 
The  setter  has  a  sickle-  or  sabre-carried  tail,  but  we  have  got  so  used  to  this 
conventional  fashion  that  we  must  now  have  the  setters'  tail  pulled  straight 
out  with  a  string  when  having  them  photographed,  whereas  in  that  sup- 
posedly natural  easy  standing  position  nine  out  of  ten  setters  would  carry  a 
curved  or  down  tail.  Like  the  ladies,  we  must  perforce  bow  to  the  decrees 
of  fashion  even  in  dog-showing! 


CHAPTER  IV 


Management  of  Shows 

N  preference  to  discussing  the  merits  or  demerits  of  shows 
we  will  simply  say  that  we  owe  the  excellence  in  conforma- 
tion of  the  dogs  of  the  present  day  to  shows,  and  give  a  few 
hints  as  to  show  management. 

It  is  our  firm  conviction  that  the  best-managed  show  is 
that  in  which  responsibility  is  concentrated.  A  committee  of  three  good  men 
is  preferable  to  anything  larger.  A  large  committee  only  enables  interested 
owners  to  work  in  a  friendly  judge,  whereas  the  selection  of  a  judge  by  a 
majority  of  three  men  gives  a  far  better  chance  for  merit  alone  to  speak.  We 
do  not  believe  in  the  salaried  superintendent  having  anything  to  do  with  the 
selection — not  even  to  communicating  in  any  way  with  a  prospective  judge. 
At  the  committee's  request  he  may  submit  suggestions,  but  there  is  far  too 
much  evidence,  or  has  been,  that  superintendents'  selections  are  made  in 
part  with  an  eye  to  future  benefits  for  themselves  by  their  selecting  leading 
officials  of  other  clubs,  who  in  return  reciprocate  by  engaging  the  superin- 
tendent to  manage  their  shows  or  to  judge.  That  is  one  of  the  evils  of  show 
management,  and  an  equal  one  is  permitting  judges  to  pass  upon  each 
other's  dogs  at  the  same  show. 

Have  the  club  secretary  hold  all  communications  with  prospective 
judges,  and  in  making  selections  endeavour  as  much  as  possible  to  get  out 
of  any  beaten  path  that  has  been  followed  at  preceding  shows.  A  new  man 
is  tried,  proves  successful,  and  immediately  he  is  in  demand  at  a  number 
of  shows.  Committeemen  would  do  well  to  mark  how  often  their  con- 
templated judge  has  been  out  of  late,  for  the  more  frequently  that  has  been 
the  case  the  more  limited  becomes  his  support,  for  dogs  beaten  under  him 
are  kept  at  home,  whereas  a  new  man  causes  owners  to  try  again.  This 
same  over-worked  man  will  do  to  try  at  a  show  six  months  later,  or  in  a 
widely  different  part  of  the  country.  Look  out  for  popular  men  who  have 
had  a  rest  and  will  attract  entries  of  winners  and  defeated  alike. 

In  drawing  up  the  premium  list  do  not  aim  too  high :  more  shows  have 

6i 


62  The  Dog  Book 

been  wrecked  by  offering  an  extended  prize-list  than  from  any  other  cause. 
Not  all  cities  can  repeat  the  New  York  prize-list,  for  it  has  a  five-dollar 
entry  fee  and  an  admission  charge  of  a  dollar — which  turns  more  money 
into  the  treasury  in  one  day  than  many  shows  take  in  during  an  entire  week. 
Because  Smithport  has  an  entry  of  twenty  dachshunds,  do  not  imagine  that 
Blankville  can  give  seven  or  eight  classes  for  that  breed.  That  show  will 
likely  get  dogs  enough  to  take  every  firs  prize  and  only  receive  one  entry- 
fee  per  class,  losing  perhaps  forty  dollars  on  the  breed. 

What  is  wanted  is  a  classification  warranted  by  the  run  of  dogs  in  the 
section  of  the  country  from  which  the  main  bulk  of  the  entry  is  to  be  looked 
for.  It  is  not  necessary  to  cater  entirely  to  the  professional  handler,  who 
will  threaten  not  to  make  an  entry  unless  his  dogs  are  specially  provided 
for,  nor  is  it  essential  to  pay  them  for  bringing  dogs;  to  say  nothing  of  its 
being  eminently  unfair  to  other  people.  The  professional  handler  is  a  neces- 
sity to  the  owner  who  cannot  attend  in  person,  but  he  is  not  so  in  any  way 
to  the  show  managers.  Some  of  them  make  demands  which  should  never 
be  considered  for  a  moment.  Successful  local  owners  bring  in  more  money 
at  the  gate  than  "foreigners"  or  circuit-chasers. 

Where  there  is  poor  prospect  of  entries  for  certain  breeds,  either  put 
one  or  two  affiliated  breeds  together  or  drop  them  and  let  the  miscellaneous 
class  suffice.  A  committee  can  throw  more  money  away  in  five  minutes* 
work  at  the  premium-list  than  makes  the  difference  between  a  paying  and 
a  losing  show,  so  be  careful  to  be  liberal  only  where  there  is  every  good  pros- 
pect of  support.  A  clause  stating  that  where  any  class  is  guaranteed  such 
class  will  be  opened,  or  if  but  one  class  for  dogs  and  bitches  is  given,  that  a 
division  will  be  made  if  a  certain  number  of  each  sex  is  entered  covers  the 
ground  fully,  and  no  would-be  exhibitor  can  then  reasonably  complain  of  a 
small  prize-list. 

It  must  be  strongly  impressed  upon  committeemen,  secretary  and  super- 
intendent that  they  should  make  themselves  thoroughly  familiar  with  the 
requirements  of  the  American  Kennel  Club,  if  they  are  members  of  that 
club.  There  are  not  many  things  to  look  out  for,  but  they  involve  fines  if 
overlooked. 

A  great  deal  of  time  and  labour  can  be  wasted  in  office  work,  and  I  knew 
that  when  I  undertook  to  manage  a  show  at  Philadelphia  in  1884.  The 
plan  I  then  adopted  was  also  carried  out  when  I  had  charge  of  shows  for 
the  Keystone  and  Philadelphia  Kennel  Clubs,  and  as  I  wanted  no  exclusive 


Management  of  Shows 


63 


copyright  on  the  plan  I  made  it  public  for  the  benefit  of  others  whenever 
possible.  The  first  thing  necessary  is  an  index — one  of  two  pages  to  the 
letter  will  suffice  for  all  but  the  largest  shows.  Rule  it  as  follows :  across  the 
open  two  pages,  as  one  will  not  be  sufficient: 


OWNER  AND  ADDRESS 


Rob  Roy  Kennels, 
Englewood,  N.J. 


Boston 
Terrier 


Oarsman,  73,073 


March  2 
igo2 


J.  Danders 


Cracksman  Fannie 


\i  ,jOO 


Get  one  of  those  files  which  when  closed  permit  the  papers  to 
be  turned  over  for  ready  reference  or  an  intermediate  paper  to  be 
removed.  Have  a  receipt-book  for  the  acknowledgment  of  entry-fees  and 
number  each  receipt.  These  are  all  that  are  needed  for  the  purpose  of 
present  and  future  record  of  the  show,  and  you  proceed  as  follows  after 
having  distributed  your  premium-lists  and  entry-forms  to  all  likely  exhibitors. 

The  first  entry-blank  received  you  mark  as  number  one  in  the  left-hand 
corner  of  the  form,  and  taking  your  receipt-book  you  fill  out  number  one  as 
a  receipt  for  the  money  received  with  number  one  entry,  and  so  on  with  each 
entry-form  and  receipt.  An  entry  without  a  remittance  should  never  be 
numbered  and  filed,  but  put  on  one  side  to  be  attended  to  later,  for  the  stub 
of  the  receipt-book  has  to  agree  with  the  cash  turned  over  to  the  treasurer. 
Having  sent  the  receipt  for  the  money,  the  next  process  is  to  take  the  index, 
turn  to  the  initial  of  the  owner's  surname,  and  copy  the  entry  as  shown  above. 
Three  columns  are  now  left  without  entry,  those  giving  the  number  of  the 
dog  in  the  catalogue,  the  prize-money  won,  and  the  space  showing  the  receipt 
for  that  money.  When  these  are  filled  in  this  book,  the  receipt-book  and 
the  entry-forms  are  the  complete  record  of  the  show. 


64  The  Dog  Book. 

In  preparing  the  copy  of  the  catalogue  for  the  printer,  if  help  sufficient 
can  be  secured  to  divide  the  work  and  have  it  done  quickly,  it  is  better  to 
write  out  each  entry  on  a  separate  slip,  just  as  they  are  on  the  entry-forms, 
taking  care  to  put  at  the  top  of  the  slip  the  number  of  each  class  and  a  con- 
traction sufficient  to  specify  the  breed,  such  as  "St.B."  for  St.  Bernard. 
When  a  dog  is  entered  in  more  than  one  class,  put  a  check-mark  on  the  slip 
of  the  first  class  entered  in  order  to  denote  further  entries,  and  do  the  same  on 
the  slips  of  the  duplicate  entry  or  entries.  Having  finished  the  writing  of 
these  slips,  which  are,  of  course,  all  mixed  up  as  to  classes,  they  are  now 
sorted  out  by  class-number  and  beginning  with  Class  i,  proceed  to  number 
each  entry-slip.  You  will  now  find  the  advantage  of  having  marked  the 
duplicate  entries,  for  you  can  arrange  them  in  order  at  the  head  of  each 
class  and  follow  with  the  numbers  of  new  dogs.  This  is  a  convenience  that 
calls  for  little  trouble,  and  it  saves  time  at  the  judging,  when  it  is  most 
valuable. 

If  possible,  have  some  capable  man  read  over  the  copy  before  it  goes 
to  the  printer,  and  by  a  "  capable  man"  we  mean  some  one  with  a  fair  knowl- 
edge of  the  names  of  owners  and  dogs,  and,  if  possible,  of  pedigrees;  for 
nothing  looks  so  careless  as  a  catalogue  full  of  stupid  blunders  in  deciphering 
the  various  writings  on  entry-forms.  Time  spent  on  seeing  to  the  correct- 
ness of  the  catalogue  is  a  good  investment  for  the  credit  of  the  show. 

Send  out  the  identification  tickets  and  number  tags  so  as  to  reach 
owners  in  good  time. 

Benching  and  feeding  is  now  so  generally  in  the  hands  of  the  Spratt's 
Co.,  that  little  need  be  said  as  to  the  making  of  benches  and  the  feeding,  but 
if  benches  have  to  be  made  on  the  spot,  I  offer  two  suggestions  which  were 
picked  up  at  the  Seattle  and  Portland  shows  of  1904. 

A  strip  of  one-foot  poultry-netting  was  run  flat  along  the  top  of  the  centre 
back  of  the  benches,  the  edges  being  tacked  down  on  the  stall  partitions, 
thus  preventing  a  dog  from  climbing  up  and  fighting  the  dog  on  the  back 
bench.  The  other  novelty  was  a  small  swivel  snap  fastened  to  the  back  of 
the  bench  above  the  straw,  which  is  more  convenient  for  use  than  the  cus- 
tomary ring  attached  to  the  bottom  board. 

Checking  the  dogs  on  arrival  at  the  show  is  a  tedious  affair  with  us, 
involving  a  hunt  for  the  owner's  name  in  an  index.  This  is  not  always  done 
correctly,  and  seems  to  be  of  little  use  otherwise.  A  very  simple  and  most 
convenient  plan  is  to  prepare  a  large  sheet  of  paper  with  ruled  columns 


Management  of  Shows  65 

in  which  the  numbers  appear  and  the  dogs'  numbers  can  be  quickly  checked 
off  on  that.  The  board  to  which  the  checked  record  is  affixed  can  be  hung 
at  the  ring  side  to  be  referred  to  at  once  for  an  absentee.  The  dogs  can 
also  be  checked  out  in  the  same  way  by  striking  a  different-coloured  mark 
through  the  number. 

An  attendant  should  have  charge  of  dogs  arriving  by  express  prior  to 
the  opening  day,  in  order  to  have  them  watered,  fed  and  exercised.  As  to 
the  work  of  feeding,  and  attending  to  the  cleaning  of  the  building,  that  is  very 
well  understood  everywhere.  Still  there  are  several  ways  in  vogue.  That 
at  Boston  to  our  mind  is  much  the  best  plan.  One  person  has  entire  charge 
of  the  feeding.  He  has  a  trolley  on  which  there  are  a  supply  of  clean 
dishes  and  a  large  tub  of  food.  Starting  at  number  one  he  goes  through 
the  entire  show  with  remarkable  celerity.  He  has  a  long  slip  of  paper  on 
which  are  put  down  the  numbers  of  all  dogs  the  owners  of  which  prefer  to 
feed  their  dogs  themselves.  Two  men  go  with  him,  and  as  one  pulls  the  trol- 
ley the  other  fills  the  dishes  and  puts  them  in  the  stalls,  the  work  being  done 
at  a  slow  walking  pace  down  one  side  of  an  aisle  and  back  on  the  other  side. 
By  the  time  the  last  dog  has  his  feed-dish,  it  is  time  to  start  at  the  beginning 
again  and  take  up  the  used  dishes  and  untouched  food.  No  dishes  con- 
taining food  are  in  this  way  allowed  to  remain  in  the  stalls  or  under  the 
benches. 

The  plan  followed  at  some  shows  to  curtain  the  benches  below  the 
line  of  stalls  is  a  bad  one,  and  at  one  I  attended  recently  everything  was 
thrown  or  swept  under  the  curtain  and  left  throughout  the  time  the  show 
lasted.  It  was  no  wonder  that  the  last  two  days  the  help  was  kept  busy 
sprinkling  the  aisles  with  disinfectant!  Clean  the  stalls  out  every  morning, 
put  in  clean  straw,  sweep  the  aisles  as  frequently  as  there  is  any  need,  and 
at  least  twice  a  day,  taking  all  sweepings  outside  the  show-room  imme- 
diately. Get  a  disinfectant  that  is  not  worse  than  the  original  smell,  and  use 
it  no  more  than  is  necessary.  The  broom  is  the  thing  to  employ  as  far  as 
possible  in  place  of  disinfectants. 

Little  need  be  said  about  the  conduct  of  the  ring,  for  the  superintendent, 
if  no  one  else,  will  know  that  judges'  books  and  stewards'  books  are  necessary 
and  should  be  prepared  beforehand.  The  outside  steward,  if  there  are 
two,  should  use  a  catalogue  in  preference  to  the  numbered  slips  from  the 
stewards'  book.  The  catalogue  can  be  worked  from  with  a  better  under- 
standing than  the  mere  numbered  slip.     At  far  too  many  of  our  shows  one 


66  The  Dog  Book 

class  is  judged  and  then  the  next  is  sent  for,  in  place  of  having  some  one  on 
the  outside  getting  in  readiness  the  class  ahead.  Often  more  time  is  lost 
in  getting  classes  into  the  ring  than  in  placing  the  dogs. 

Modern  judging  customs  call  for  a  large-numbered  card  slipped  over 
the  arm  vi^ith  an  elastic,  or  fastened  with  a  string  in  some  simple  manner. 
This  number  corresponds  to  that  of  the  dog  held  by  the  man  with  the  card, 
and  enables  spectators  to  know  something  of  what  is  going  on — that  is, 
providing  the  ring-steward  sees  to  it  that  the  winning  numbers  are  posted 
on  the  ring  bulletin-board,  which  is  a  most  essential  feature  of  an  up-to- 
date  show. 

It  was  my  experience  to  be  one  of  many  called  upon  to  decide  specials 
at  a  show  held  a  few  years  ago,  when,  owing  to  the  lack  of  all-around  knowl- 
edge on  the  part  of  the  majority,  specials  for  the  best  dog  and  best  brace, 
and  such  as  best  owned  by  a  lady  or  best  local,  went  very  much  astray. 
The  result  was  that  I  advocated  in  the  kennel  press  that  special  judging  of 
this  nature  should  be  given  to  the  best  all-around  judge  on  the  staff  of  the 
show.  It  is  gratifying  to  say  that  this  is  now  becoming  the  custom,  and  it  has 
given  much  satisfaction.  Of  course,  this  judge  has  to  accept  the  regular 
class-judging,  and  must  not  reverse  what  has  already  been  done  by  any  of  his 
associates.  The  special-prize  judge  should  not,  however,  be  the  same  indi- 
vidual that  may  have  officiated  at  shows  held  immediately  prior.  Exhib- 
itors are  entitled  to  a  change,  for  there  is  plenty  of  room  for  difference  of 
opinion  in  this  class  of  specials. 

The  judging  being  finished,  it  is  necessary  now  to  mark  up  the  winnings 
on  the  index  record  book,  and  this  is  done  from  a  correctly  marked  catalogue. 
After  which  the  record  book  is  turned  over  to  the  treasurer,  who,  according 
to  the  custom  at  American  shows,  posts  a  notice  specifying  at  what  hour 
on  the  last  day  he  will  be  in  attendance  to  pay  off  the  prizes.  Those  present 
at  the  show  in  charge  of  the  dogs  then  sign  opposite  the  names  of  the  owners 
on  the  index-book  for  the  money  won,  and  when  this  is  done  the  business 
between  exhibitor  and  show  is  finished,  except  in  the  case  of  checks  to  be 
sent  to  those  not  represented  at  the  show. 

Last  of  all  comes  the  passing  the  dogs  out  on  the  closing  night,  and 
shipping  back  those  which  have  been  received  by  express,  which  are  matters 
of  detail  calling  for  no  instructions. 

During  the  past  two  seasons  summer  shows  have  become  exceedingly 
popular,  and  as  the  expense  is  far  less  than  at  the  more  pretentious  spring 


Management  of  Shows  67 

and  fall  indoor  fixtures,  they  promise  to  increase  in  number  and  do  great 
good  to  dog  interests.  At  shows  held  last  summer  there  were  entries  of 
over  five  hundred  dogs  and  not  one  of  them  had  under  two  hundred  and 
fifty  dogs,  this  number  calling  for  two  points  for  champion  honors  in  winners 
classes,  five  hundred  calling  for  three  points. 

These  shows  are  better  when  of  but  one  day's  duration,  and  the  outlay 
is  thus  reduced  to  a  minimum,  as  benching,  feeding  and  other  expenses 
are  not  always  incurred.  The  Wissahickon  Kennel  Club  show  uses  the 
stalls  and  stabling  inclosure  of  the  Philadelphia  Horse  Show  Association, 
the  proceeds  of  the  show  being  devoted  to  a  local  charity.  Judging  is  done 
in  the  open,  in  large  roped  rings,  of  which  there  are  half  a  dozen  or  more 
placed  at  various  parts  of  the  grounds. 

The  Ladies'  Kennel  Association  of  Massachusetts  had  its  show  at  Brain- 
tree  at  the  New  England  Kennel  Club  country-house,  and  had  the  benching 
of  that  club  at  its  disposal.  The  Ladies'  Kennel  Association  of  America 
held  its  show  at  the  Mineola  Fair-grounds  and  the  dogs  were  benched  on 
regular  Spratts  benching  in  two  of  the  fair  buildings  and  judged  in  the 
open.  The  Brooklyn  Kennel  Club  held  a  one-day  show  at  the  Brighton 
Beach  race-course  paddock,  the  dogs  being  accommodated  in  the  stalls 
around  the  paddock,  and  the  judging  being  done  below  the  trainers'  private 
stand. 

The  Ladies'  Kennel  Association  and  the  Bryn  Mawr  shows  of  1903  had 
large  tents,  the  former  show  being  held  on  the  grounds  of  the  late  Mr. 
James  L.  Kernochan  at  Hempstead,  L.  L,  and  the  latter  at  the  grounds 
of  the  Byrn  Mawr  horse  show.  At  the  L.  K.  A.  show  at  Hempstead,  regu- 
lation benching  was  used,  but  at  Bryn  Mawr  dogs  were  pegged  down  to 
wires  laid  in  rows  in  the  tent,  while  a  number  were  simply  chained  to  the 
fence  of  the  show  ring.  It  was  all  very  simple,  and  a  show  on  the  lines  of 
one  or  other  of  these  can  be  held  at  any  place  where  there  is  an  inclosure. 

Water  is  about  all  that  it  is  necessary  to  provide  for  the  dogs  in  addition 
to  a  little  straw  in  the  case  of  its  being  called  for.  Less  than  one  bag  of 
dog-biscuits  was  used  at  the  Wissahickon  one-day  show,  though  if  a  two-day 
aff^air  is  planned,  feeding  is  then  a  necessity  and  comfortable  accommoda- 
tions for  the  night  must  be  provided. 

Prize  money  is  not  expected  at  these  shows,  so  we  do  not  see  so  much 
of  the  circuit-chasers  or  the  fanciers  who  only  look  at  the  money  end  of  the 
business.     This  is  all  the  better  for  the  amateur,  who,  after  all,  is  the  back- 


68  The  Dog  Book 

bone  of  shows,  and  as  a  rule  gets  but  little  for  his  money  at  the  circuit 
shows.  Here  he  has  a  chance,  and  local  interest  is  aroused  by  the  success 
of  neighbours  and  friends,  while  friendly  rivalry  causes  the  purchase  of 
better  dogs  and  brings  here  and  there  a  new  enthusiast  into  view.  Some 
of  these  blossom  into  prominent  fanciers  and  add  to  the  success  of  the 
large  shows  in  the  spring  and  fall. 


MRS.  MAYHEW  JUDGING  FOX-TERRIERS  AT  HEMPSTEAD,  L.  K.  A.  SHOW 
The  dogs  were  benched  under  the  tents 


MR    JAMES  MORTIMER  JUDGING  ENGLISH  SETTERS  AT  HEMPSTEAD,  L.  K.  A.  SHOW 
Posing  the  setters  on  the  boards  for  comparison 


CHAPTER  V 

Buying    a    Dog 

OW  to  buy  a  dog  is  as  difficult  a  question  to  answer  offhand  as 
to  tell  a  person  what  dog  will  satisfy  him.  With  the  general 
custom  in  America  of  worshipping  the  fetish  of  pedigree 
in  animals — while  holding  that  the  man  must  be  guaged 
by  his  individual  merits — it  is  difficult  to  get  any  person 
to  consider  the  purchase  of  any  dog  that  has  not  a  number  of  champions 
in  his  pedigree.  If  he  has  that,  you  can  dispose  of  the  veriest  scrub  that 
ever  lived.  Pedigree  has  a  value,  but  you  must  know  the  history  of  the 
dogs  of  the  day  and  the  most  prominent  of  the  past  generation  or  two  to 
enable  a  proper  conclusion  to  be  drawn.  From  a  pedigree  it  is  possible  for 
one  of  the  initiated  to  form  an  opinion  as  to  what  might  be  expected  of  the 
dog  in  certain  characteristics  and  which  of  these  characteristics  he  might 
perpetuate.  It  has  but  little  to  do  with  the  future  excellence  of  the  puppy 
beyond  the  fact  that  a  dog  of  good  breeding  has  a  better  chance  of  being 
good-looking  than  one  bred  from  scrubs. 

To  understand  this  it  is  necessary  to  state  that  there  are  few  breeders  of 
prominence  who  do  not  lay  stress  upon  some  particular  point  in  confor- 
mation. With  one  it  is  head,  with  another  it  is  "front,"  another  must  have 
a  good  coat,  and  so  on.  An  expert  fox-terrier  judge  would  make  but  little 
mistake  at  an  English  show  in  picking  out  the  Redmond,  Vicary  or  Powell 
entry,  all  of  which  is  in  keeping  with  what  Youatt  tells  us  about  the  two 
sheep-breeders  who  purchased  some  pure  Bakewell  ewes  and  rams,  and 
although  there  was  not  a  drop  of  outside  blood  introduced  into  the  flocks, 
they  became  entirely  different  in  type  within  a  few  years,  each  breeder 
making  his  selections  along  a  line  of  his  own. 

Then  again  we  find  every  now  and  then  a  sire  that  is  particularly 
good  in  giving  to  his  progeny  some  much  wanted  characteristic,  such  as 
the  ability  of  the  late  Finsbury  Pilot  among  collies  to  give  heavy  coats, 
while  the  sparse-coated  collie  Ormskirk  Galopin  was  noted  for  heads.  And 
it  is  along  this  line  we  find  the  value  of  pedigree,  for  an  inbred  Galopin 

69 


70  The  Dog  Book 

should  be  a  pretty  good  headed  dog,  while  one  strong  in  Finsbury  Pilot  blood 
should  be  good  coated,  or  in  breeding  from  dogs  bred  that  way  we  may 
expect  such  results.  But  that  is  not  what  pedigree  means  to  the  American 
buyer  and  for  his  purpose  the  form  might  as  well  be  filled  up  at  random,  with 
Toms,  Dicks  and  Harrys,  and  Marthas,  Janes  and  Betsies,  especially  if  you 
can  put  "Ch."  before  any  of  the  names.  To  him  it  is  a  pedigree,  to  the 
man  who  knows  it  is  a  piece  of  paper.  It  is  this  class  of  buyers  that  write  for 
two  puppies,  not  related,  and  start  breeding  dogs  to  win  prizes  with,  because 
these  puppies  trace  to  some  champions  within  a  generation  or  two.  Such 
a  buyer  and  breeder  produces  pedigrees,  not  winners.  We  were  at  the  Bir- 
mingham show  of  1879  and  chatted  with  the  late  William  Graham,  to  whom 
we  owe  the  excellence  of  the  present-day  Irish  terrier.  He  had  had  a  very 
successful  time  with  his  dogs,  and  swinging  his  stick  in  the  direction  of  the 
row  of  dare-devils,  he  said  "  Some  men  show  pedigrees ;  I  show  dogs  and  take 
the  prizes."  We  were  among  the  former  at  that  show,  Vero  Shaw  in  his 
report  saying  that  the  pedigree  was  worth  more  than  the  dog;  and  there  are 
thousands  of  that  sort  bred  annually  and  from  the  very  best  dogs  we 
have,  for  it  is  only  the  very  top  skimming  of  the  cream  that  become  cham- 
pions of  record. 

It  is  a  matter  for  the  greatest  regret  that  this  pedigree  foible  is  sup- 
ported by  the  government  and  restrictions  imposed  which  show  that  the 
responsible  official  has  not  the  slightest  knowledge  of  dog  matters  or  how 
dogs  rate  themselves;  dog-show  records  taking  the  place  of  cattle  pedigrees. 
We  will  give  a  late  personal  experience.  Having  been  intrusted  with  the 
purchase  of  a  number  of  dogs  abroad  that  could  win  prizes  here,  a  very 
thorough  search  through  Ireland  and  England  was  made  and  a  dozen 
bought.  I  do  not  think  I  asked  as  to  the  pedigree  of  a  single  one.  I  was 
buying  winners,  not  pedigrees,  and  knowing  that  good  pedigrees  are  made 
by  good  dogs  and  not  vice  versa,  I  bought  the  dogs  and  then  set  the  seller  at 
work  to  get  the  pedigrees  perfected  to  suit  the  Washington  requirements. 
To  do  this  occupied  nearly  three  weeks,  and  it  was  necessary  to  expend  over 
thirty  dollars  to  have  past  generations  supplied  with  stud-book  numbers. 
Two  pedigrees  could  not  be  so  furnished,  not  that  there  was  anything  un- 
known, but  the  sire  of  these  dogs  was  out  of  an  unregistered  dam,  though 
as  he  was  about  the  most  famous  dog  in  England  and  has  more  living  descend- 
ants than  any  dog  of  his  breed,  his  full  pedigree  is  perfectly  well  known  and 
has  been  given  over  and  over  again.     The  owner  filled  out  a  blank,  but  the 


CHAINING  THE  FOXHOUNDS   lu   iHt  tt.L^^E  ut    iHK  HORSE-SHOW  RING,  AT  BRYN  MAWR  SHOW,   IQOJ 
At  a  one-day  show  no  benching  is  absolutely  necessary  if  the  dogs  can  be  chained  apart 


THE  INTERIOR  OF  THE  TENT  AT  BRY\   MAWR  SHOW,   I903 
Showing  how  dogs  were  chained  to  ropes  exten  ling  the  length  of  the  tent 


Buying  a  Dog 


71 


Kennel  Club  would  not  give  a  registration  because  this  owner  had  been 
suspended  and  had  not  the  right  to  register;  and  the  dam  being  dead,  she  could 
not  be  sold  to  any  one  having  the  right  to  register.  Fortunately  these  were 
cheap  dogs  and  the  duty  correspondingly  light,  but  on  the  same  steamer 
with  them  came  two  or  three  pick-up  dogs  of  no  breeding,  and  they  passed 
in  on  payment  of  one  or  two  dollars.  If  worthless  curs  were  not  admitted, 
then  there  would  be  some  semblance  of  reason  in  present  rules,  but  for 
them  the  door  is  held  wide  open,  and  the  stringency  is  put  on  the  man  who 
pays  hundreds  of  dollars  for  a  dog  worth  having. 

To  buy  good  dogs  as  per  government  regulations  it  is  only  necessary  to 
write  for  pedigrees  and  buy  the  dog  having  the  one  that  reads  best,  but  if 
that  is  done  the  buyer  might  as  well  make  up  his  mind  that  if  he  ever  does 
show  his  pedigree  dog  he  will  find  that  he  is  beaten  out  of  sight  by  men  who 
bought  good  dogs  and  then  thought  of  the  pedigree. 

But,  the  reader  asks,  if  pedigree  amounts  to  nothing,  how  are  we  to 
buy  for  breeding  purposes,  for  instance  ?  We  have  already  said  that  pedi- 
gree is  valuable,  and  it  is  an  essential  in  the  case  of  purchasing  for  breeding, 
but  we  again  repeat  that  if  the  buyer  does  not  know  something  regarding 
the  dogs  in  the  pedigree,  either  personally  or  from  reliable  information,  one 
string  of  names  is  as  good  as  another  to  him.  Here  is  a  case  in  point  as 
shown  in  the  following  Irish  terrier  pedigree: 

Red  Idol 

KrifFel 

Ch.  Breda  Mixer 

Red  Inez 

Breda  Dan 

Balmoral  Fan 

Red  Idol 

Shankill  Violet 

Red  Ire 

Breda  Iris 

Ch.  Breda  Mixer 

Knoxonia 

The  Irish  Ambassador 

Breda  Vixen 

Ch.  Bachelor 

Breda  Florence 


Sire     • 

King 

• 

Kaiser 
Kindle 

King's       , 

Masterpiece 

'  Balmoral  Bill 

Killarney 

Lily. 

Saintfield  Midge 

'  Red  Idol 

Kaiseriioo,C.  « 

Dam 

KrifFel 

Koerchion 

Kindle 

•< 

'  Ch.  Breda  Mixer 

Red  Inez 

72  The  Dog  Book 

According  to  the  United  States  government  test  the  Irish  terrier  that 
owns  that  pedigree  is  practically  a  mongrel,  because  in  two  generations  it 
has  but  one  ancestor  with  a  stud-book  number;  since  being  imported, 
however,  the  sire,  King's  Masterpiece,  has  earned  a  number  by  his  show 
successes,  but  the  others  are  still  mongrels  according  to  the  United  States 
government  test. 

The  seeker  for  champions  in  the  pedigree  discards  it  because  he  only 
finds  Breda  Mixer  and  Bachelor,  and  they  are  too  far  back.  Now  we  will 
put  it  before  the  man  who  knows. 

"  I  see  a  Knox  bred  one.  Knox  has  done  quite  a  bit  of  good  breeding 
in  his  time  and  they  seem  to  come  better  right  along,  but  that  is  to  be  ex- 
pected of  course  if  the  man  knows  his  business;  and  inbred,  too,  and  in  the 
fashionable  way.  Did  you  ever  notice  how  many  good  ones  are  by  a  son 
of  a  dog  that  gets  good  ones,  out  of  a  daughter  ?  No ;  well,  study  that  up  a  bit 
and  get  hold  of  a  series  of  letters  by  Professor  Bohannon  of  the  University 
of  Ohio  on  that  subject.  He  shows  some  wonderful  results  in  racehorses 
and  in  dogs  from  that  system  of  breeding.  In  this  case  you  have  a  son  of 
King  bred  to  a  sister  of  King. 

"Why,  man,  you  have  a  wonderful  pedigree  here.  I  have  never  seen 
anything  like  it  before:  full  of  Breda  Muddler  blood  or  what  made  him,  and 
not  once  is  he  mentioned.  Here  you  have  King's  sire  Kaiser  out  of  Kriffel, 
by  Breda  Mixer  who  got  Muddler,  and  Kaiser's  sire  Red  Idol  was  out 
of  Breda  Iris  the  dam  of  Muddler.  Then  King's  dam  Kindle  is  a  full 
brother  in  blood  to  Muddler,  for  Red  Inez  was  a  sister,  if  not  a  litter 
sister,  to  Breda  Iris. 

"All  that  is  repeated  below  in  the  pedigree  of  Koerchion,  King's  sister. 
Do  you  know  how  Kriffel's  dam  Knoxonia  was  bred  .?  No;  well,  she  was  a 
Knox  anyway,  and  we  can  take  her  as  all  right.  King's  Masterpiece  is  a 
half-brother  of  our  Celtic  Badger,  I  see,  for  his  dam  is  Killarney  Lily.  I 
met  a  man  the  other  day  who  had  lately  been  at  Belfast,  and  he  told  me  of 
his  visiting  Mr.  Knox  and  spoke  of  his  dogs  very  favourably.  He  liked 
King  very  much;  and  I  remember  his  saying  that  it  was  little  wonder  that 
Badger  and  this  Masterpiece,  which  he  also  saw,  were  good  ones,  for  Killarney 
Lily  was  one  much  above  the  average.  From  the  way  he  spoke  of  her  she 
must  be  a  very  nice  one. 

"  If  I  remember  rightly  you  won  a  couple  of  times  with  this  bitch,  but 
she  did  not  strike  me  as  one  that  would  go  on  much  further  as  she  then 


Buying  a  Dog  73 

was.  I  know,  however,  that  if  I  owned  her  nothing  would  induce  me  to  part 
with  her  until  I  had  tried  her  as  a  brood  bitch.  If  she  does  not  prove  a 
good  one,  then  there  is  no  value  in  a  pedigree." 

It  must  also  be  very  distinctly  borne  in  mind  that  while  it  is  perfectly 
proper  to  buy  a  bitch  with  a  pedigree  which  will  bear  such  an  investigation 
as  the  foregoing  and  be  approved  of  by  an  expert,  it  is  quite  a  different  thing 
in  a  dog.  No  one  with  any  knowledge  of  the  subject  will  breed  to  a  dog 
merely  on  pedigree,  unless  as  an  experiment  in  the  case  of  one  much  inbred 
to  a  thoroughly  tested  strain.  The  vast  majority  of  good  dogs  have 
been  bred  from  sires  individually  good;  so  when  it  comes  to  the  purchase 
of  a  dog  he  must  be  excellent  as  an  individual,  and  that  must  take  precedence 
over  pedigree,  for  as  we  have  already  said,  a  good  dog  makes  the  pedigree 
good,  and  not  the  other  way. 

Continuing  with  the  same  pedigree  as  the  text,  the  fact  that  we  find  in 
it  so  many  of  one  person's  breeding,  and  he  a  successful  breeder,  is  a  great 
indorsement  of  it.  Such  a  person  is  all  the  time  selecting  which  of  his 
best  to  keep  and  getting  rid  of  the  unsuitable  or  what  is  no  longer  needed  in 
his  kennel.  By  this  process  the  quality  of  the  breeding  stock  of  the  kennel 
is  gradually  improved  and  becomes  more  reliable  in  producing.  Type 
becomes  more  consistent,  and  in  process  of  time  we  have  a  strain  established 
which  can  be  relied  upon  to  produce  good  ones  in  greater  proportion  than  is 
the  case  in  most  of  the  rival  kennels. 

Let  us  suppose  for  a  moment  that  we  are  considering,  for  instance, 
organising  a  car-line.  No  one  in  his  senses  would  suggest  that  a  start  be 
made  with  a  dinky  mule-car  and  by  a  series  of  changes  finally  arrive  at  an 
up-to-date  electric  plant.  Business  is  not  conducted  that  way,  but  in  view  of 
the  many  improvements  continually  being  introduced  into  the  car  service 
a  most  thorough  investigation  is  made  so  as  to  avoid  mistake  in  getting  the 
result  of  the  best  thoughts  and  experiments  on  the  subject.  The  line  when 
it  is  opened  is  thereby  furnished  in  the  most  up-to-date  manner  possible 
and  starts  on  an  equal  footing  with  the  improved  service  of  the  old  reorgan- 
ised horse-cars  and  cable-cars.  And  that  is  just  what  the  person  intent  upon 
entering  the  field  as  a  competitive  breeder  must  do  if  he  desires  success. 

Discard  all  idea  of  beginning  at  the  bottom  with  puppy  purchases  and 
"champion  pedigrees,"  but  look  carefully  over  the  results  of  the  shows  and 
note  who  are  the  men  who  have  bred  the  winners.  Having  found  that  out 
do  not  make  the  mistake  of  purchasing  puppies,  for  out  of  the  many  litters 


74  The  Dog  Book 

that  this  man  may  have  in  the  course  of  a  season  he  is  unhkely  to  keep  more 
than  one  or  two  from  any  Htter,  and  then  gradually  disperses  these  as  he 
sifts  out  the  best  for  home  keeping.  If  then  you  buy  puppies  you  get  what 
are  his  cast-offs.  Our  advice  is  to  begin  where  he  is  at  by  getting  such  of  his 
brood  matrons  as  he  will  spare;  and  if  they  have  already  been  bred  you  are 
starting  your  kennel  on  a  level  with  him  so  far  as  his  judgment  goes  m 
deciding  upon  the  mating.  The  purchase  of  a  dog  may  well  be  left  alone, 
for  it  is  a  drawback  to  have  but  one,  it  not  being  probable  that  he  is  suitable 
for  a  variety  of  matrons,  and  it  is  much  better  to  be  entirely  untrammelled  in 
seeking  the  best  possible  sire.  A  good  enough  dog  to  place  at  the  head  of  a 
kennel  costs  a  great  deal  of  money,  and  it  is  not  only  more  advisable  on  the 
score  of  suitability  to  go  outside,  but  more  economical  as  well. 

If  the  intention  is  to  purchase  a  show  dog,  then  there  are  two  plans 
to  suggest.  One  is  to  buy  a  dog  that  is  making  a  good  record,  but  it  will 
be  found  to  be  somewhat  expensive  to  do  so,  unless  the  owner  has  an  idea 
that  his  dog  is  going  off  and  has  another  to  supply  its  place.  Now  to  buy 
a  dog  that  is  going  off  is  the  very  thing  that  must  be  avoided  by  all  means. 
It  is  the  most  unsatisfactory  experience  a  beginner  can  have,  to  buy  a  dog 
that  has  won  a  number  of  prizes  and  then  find  that  he  can  do  so  no  more. 
The  buyer  is  apt  to  think,  if  he  does  not  actually  say,  that  the  change  of 
ownership  has  all  to  do  with  the  change  in  the  dog's  position;  but  that  is 
hardly  fair,  for  young  dogs  especially  change  materially  and  begin  to  show 
faults  which  soon  put  them  back  in  the  prize-lists.  The  seller  probably 
paid  for  his  experience  in  detecting  the  signs  of  a  dog  going  wrong,  and  if 
the  dog  is  being  honestly  shown  the  buyer  has  every  opportunity  to  form 
his  own  conclusion,  as  to  the  dog's  future. 

The  second  plan  is  to  pick  up  a  dog  with  a  possibility  of  improving, 
or  that  has  not  been  shown  yet  and  looks  like  making  a  winner.  If  the  pur- 
chaser can  do  this  of  his  own  knowledge  he  needs  no  coaching,  but  the  likeli- 
hood is  that  he  does  not  know  sufficient  to  warrant  his  undertaking  the  task, 
and  in  such  a  case  the  only  thing  to  be  done  is  to  get  some  one  of  experience 
to  act  for  him.  There  is  one  thing  such  a  buyer  must  remember,  and  that  is 
that  good  dogs  cost  money  and  are  not  to  be  picked  up  as  bargains  except 
by  those  who  have  expert  knowledge.  No  one  expects  to  purchase  a  lot 
on  upper  Fifth  Avenue,  facing  Central  Park,  for  the  price  of  one  below 
Fifty-ninth  Street,  nor  to  get  a  stylish  park-horse  or  a  two-ten  trotter  for  the 
price  of  a  grocery  wagon  puller.     Yet  when  it  comes  to  dogs  the  same  people 


Buying  a  Dog  75 

gasp  at  any  price  over  about  twenty  dollars.  To  get  a  dog  capable  of  win- 
ning at  New  York  in  any  of  the  fashionable  breeds  there  would  be  little 
chance  of  succeeding  for  less  than  five  hundred  dollars,  while  in  some 
breeds  that  amount  would  not  be  sufficient.  Others  not  so  fashionable  are 
not  so  expensive.  When  it  comes  to  a  dog  capable  of  winning  at  shows 
where  the  tip-toppers  are  not  competitors  the  price  suggested  may  be  halved 
or  even  quartered  and  a  very  satisfactory  dog  obtained.  The  reason  being 
that  we  have  so  few  shows  here  that  a  dog  of  the  first  class  sent  on  circuit 
stops  all  others  from  winning;  and  as  it  is  the  winners  that  cost  money,  the 
price  of  such  dogs  double  up  quickly  compared  with  those  they  can  surely 
defeat. 

The  large  majority  of  buyers  are,  however,  in  search  of  a  puppy  to 
bring  up  as  a  pet  or  house  dog,  and  the  main  consideration  is  good  health 
and  an  absence  of  any  disfigurement.  If  it  is  of  a  large  breed,  then  the  largest- 
and  best-boned  one  is  the  likeliest  to  hold  the  lead  in  size,  providing  he  is 
properly  reared.  Heads  grow  longer  and  thinner  in  foreface  as  puppies 
develop,  and  as  that  is  wanted  in  but  few  breeds  a  head  with  plenty  of  bulk 
before  the  eyes  is  recommended  as  the  one  likeliest  to  fill  out  without  weak- 
ness. The  size  of  the  ears  is  in  many  breeds  an  important  point.  Where 
the  ears  are  erect,  then  the  smaller  and  neater  the  better.  If  not  to  be 
carried  fully  erect  the  very  small  ear  is  to  be  avoided,  for  a  small-eared 
collie,  for  instance,  is  most  likely  to  get  them  fully  erect  eventually.  So 
much  depends  upon  the  breed  that  the  selection  is  to  be  made  from,  that 
general  directions  can  hardly  be  given  upon  many  points;  and  if  the  buyer 
has  no  personal  knowledge  to  guide  him  the  better  plan  will  be  to  place 
himself  in  the  hands  of  the  vendor,  and  if  there  is  any  difference  in  price 
between  the  puppies  accept  that  as  the  guide  and  take  the  high-priced  one, 
for  the  man  who  fixed  the  prices  has  had  every  opportunity  to  form  the  best 
judgment  as  to  the  choicest. 

It  is  far  too  prevalent  an  idea  that  to  do  business  with  a  dog-dealer  is 
to  invite  oneself  to  be  robbed.  We  have  had  personal  knowledge  of  a 
very  large  number  of  those  who  make  a  business  of  buying  and  selling  dogs, 
and  have  investigated  officially  and  personally  many  cases  of  alleged  fraud 
on  their  part,  and  in  the  majority  of  cases  found  not  the  slightest  reason  for 
the  charges  made.  In  others,  where  there  was  a  conflict  of  testimony  we 
have  always  found  the  dealer  more  willing  to  make  an  honorable  settlement 
than  the  buyer,  and  in  the  few  cases  of  positive  swindling  the  American 


76  The  Dog  Book 

Kennel  Club  took  such  speedy  action  as  to  give  a  lesson  to  all  that  there 
must  be  no  "dishonourable  conduct  in  connection  with  dogs."  The  penalty 
for  that  is  disqualification,  and  that  carries  with  it  disqualification  of 
all  dogs  passing  through  the  hands  of  the  disqualified  person  and  the 
refusal  to  register  them  in  the  oificial  stud-book  or  allow  them  to  be 
shown  if  it  is  known  that  they  were  the  property  of  the  disqualified 
person.  It  is  a  very  severe  penalty,  and  as  it  practically  kills  off  the  best 
part  of  a  dealer's  business  they  are  as  a  class  very  careful  to  deal  fairly. 
We  have  seen  the  most  ludicrous  things  done  by  purchasers  of  dogs. 
More  than  once  we  have  known  of  a  dealer  sending  quite  a  nice  white  bull 
terrier  to  a  purchaser  only  to  have  it  returned  with  the  demand  that  one 
with  brindle  markings  be  sent,  and  charging  all  sorts  of  things  because  such 
a  poor  dog  had  been  sent.  Of  course  the  vendor  was  only  too  happy  to  make 
such  a  change  and  please  such  a  knowing  customer,  who  doubtless  let  it  be 
fully  known  how  he  was  too  sharp  to  be  swindled  by  a  dealer  and  had  made 
this  particular  one  come  to  time  in  quick  order. 

Dealers  are  not  nomads,  but  it  will  be  found  that  nearly  every  one,  in 
the  East  at  least,  has  occupied  the  same  premises  for  years,  or  if  a  change 
has  been  made  it  has  been  for  the  better.  Rogues  cannot  do  this,  for  not 
only  is  the  Kennel  Club  court  open  to  all  without  a  cent  of  expense,  but 
the  power  of  the  police  and  the  United  States  post-office  can  be  invoked  to 
good  purpose,  so  that  there  is  very  good  evidence  in  this  permanency  of 
location  to  say  that  the  dealer  in  dogs  is  entitled  to  be  above  suspicion  as 
much  as  any  other  man  of  a  similar  number  of  years'  standing  in  business. 


CHAPTER  VI 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters 

O  give  a  complete  history  of  the  English  Setter,  without 
mixing  with  it  a  great  deal  of  information  regarding  the 
various  family  connections  of  the  breed,  is  so  impossible 
that  we  have  decided  to  give  one  comprehensive  intro- 
ductory chapter  regarding  the  spaniels,  beginning  with 
their  earliest  history  and  concluding  with  the  splitting  up  of  the  family  into 
the  various  sections  of  setters  and  spaniels.  This  will  embrace  a  period  of 
some  four  hundred  years,  during  which  the  dog  first  known  as  the  spaniel 
subsequently,  in  one  branch,  became  the  setting  spaniel,  then  the  setter, 
and  finally  became  divided  into  the  three  breeds  of  setters  as  we  know  them 
to-day. 

The  Duke  of  Northumberland,  son  of  Queen  Elizabeth's  favourite 
courtier,  the  celebrated  Robert  Dudley,  Earl  of  Leicester,  and  his  second 
wife.  Lady  Douglas  Howard,  whom  he  is  said  to  have  married  in  1578,  is 
erroneously  credited  with  having  been  the  first  person  "that  taught  a  dog  to 
sit  in  order  to  catch  partridges,"  as  we  shall  show  very  clearly.  Even  those 
who  have  in  late  years  given  this  authoritatively,  at  the  same  time  quoted 
from  "Of  Englishe  Dogges,"  written  six  years  after  the  duke's  parents  were 
married,  in  which  the  netting  of  partridges  is  fully  described,  showing  but 
little  investigation  on  the  part  of  the  editors,  who  permitted  this  and  kindred 
errors  to  receive  their  endorsement.  Caius,  who  wrote  this  old  book,  called 
them  setters,  but  they  could  not  have  been  so  styled  in  common,  and  setting 
spaniel  and  setting  dogge  they  continued  to  be  called  until  the  net  went  out 
of  fashion  about  1800. 


The   Spaniel 


Our  first  knowledge  of  the  spaniel  is  obtained  from  the  work  of  the 
French  count,  Gaston  de  Foix,  who  in  1387  wrote  his  book  called  "Livre 


81 


82  The    Dog    Book 

de  Chasse."  This  was  translated  into  English  by  the  Duke  of  York  about 
1410,  and  his  version  was  given  the  title  of  "The  Master  of  Game."  He 
added  a  little  to  the  original,  but  left  the  portion  we  will  quote  from  as  it 
was.  Gaston  de  Foix  lived  in  the  South  of  France  and  was  a  great  man  in 
his  time — one  of  the  feudal  monarchs  with  large  estates  and  an  immense 
revenue  with  which  to  maintain  his  kingly  hospitality  and  take  part  in  the 
wars  of  his  times.  He  also  followed  the  chase  and  owned  hundreds  of 
hounds  of  all  kinds,  and  was  therefore  a  man  who  had  knowledge  of  what 
he  was  writing  about.  Living  as  he  did  close  to  the  borders  of  Spain,  we 
can  accept  without  cavil,  what  some  recent  writers  have  thrown  doubts 
upon,  that  the  spaniel  owes  its  name  to  that  country;  but  whether  it  origi- 
nated there  or  whether  it  was  bred  from  dogs  which  came  with  the  early 
migrations  from  the  East,  will  never  be  known. 

In  our  "Early  History  of  the  Dog"  we  mention  having  found  in  the 
Cypriote  collection  in  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art,  a  small  terra-cotta 
model  of  a  dog  bearing  a  resemblance  to  the  spaniel,  but  that  would  not 
indicate  anything  by  itself.  It  may  not  be  a  spaniel,  and  even  if  it  is,  the 
original  might  have  been  brought  to  Crete.  Besides  which  we  have  so 
altered  and  improved  these  old  "Spaynels"  that,  beyond  being  descendants 
of  these  old-timers,  there  is  no  connection  at  all  between  the  setters  and 
spaniels  of  to-day  and  the  dogs  Gaston  de  Foix  wrote  about.  For  what  we 
know  of  the  latter,  and  also  all  information  obtained  from  "The  Master  of 
Game,"  we  owe  to  the  splendidly  performed  task  of  William  A.,  and  F. 
Baillie-Grohman,  who  have  lately  published  a  copy  of  this  quaint  old 
English  .book  with  a  parallel-column  modern  English  version.  This  present- 
day  volume  is  not  a  copy  of  any  single  one  of  the  several  manuscript  copies 
of  the  book,  either  in  English  or  in  the  original  tongue,  but  the  accepted 
best  copy  has  been  compared  with  others,  and  the  result  is  the  correction 
of  errors  which  crept  into  the  various  manuscript  copies,  and  the  giving 
us  a  perfect  copy  of  what  was  the  original  but  now  lost  manuscript  dic- 
tated by  the  old  French  sporting  nobleman. 

Chapter  Seventeen  of  "The  Master  of  Game"  is  devoted  to  spaniels 
and  their  nature,  and  is  as  follows:  "Another  kind  of  hound  [the  word  dog 
was  not  then  in  general  use]  there  is  that  are  called  hounds  for  the  hawk, 
and  spaniels,  for  their  kind  came  from  Spain,  notwithstanding  that  there 
are  many  in  other  countries.  And  such  hounds  have  many  good  customs 
and  evil.     Also  a  fair  hound  for  the  hawk  should  have  a  great  head,  a  great 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  83 

body,  and  be  of  fair  hue,  white  or  tawny  [Gaston  de  Foix  did  not  use  the 
word  for  tawny,  but  'tavele,'  meaning  speckled  or,  as  we  might  say,  pied 
or  mottled],  for  they  be  the  fairest  and  of  such  hue  they  be  commonly  the 
best.     A  good  spaniel  should  not  be  too  rough,  but  his  tail  should  be  rough. 
The  good  qualities  that  such  hounds  have  are  these:   They  love  well  their 
master  and  follow  them  without  losing,  although  they  be  in  a  crowd  of  men, 
and  commonly  they  go  before  their  master,  running  and  wagging  their  tail, 
and  raise  or  start  fowl  and  wild  beasts.     But  their  right  craft  is  of  the  par- 
tridge and  of  the  quail.     It  is  a  good  thing  for  a  man  that  hath  a  noble 
goshawk  or  a  tiercel  or  a  sparrow  hawk  for  partridge,  to  have  such  hounds. 
And  also  when  they  are  taught  to  be  couchers  [Gaston  de  Foix  says  '  chien 
couch  ant']  they  are  good  to  take  partridges  and  quail  with  the  net.     [This 
was  written  nearly  two  hundred  years  before  the  time  of  the  Duke  of  North- 
umberland.]    And  also  they  are  good  when  they  are  taught  to  swim  and 
are  good  for  the  river,  and  for  fowls  when  they  have  dived,  but  on  the  other 
hand  they  have  many  bad  qualities,  like  the  country  that  they  come  from. 
For  the  country  draweth  to  two  natures  of  men,  and  of  beasts  and  of  fowls, 
and  as  men  call  greyhounds  of  Scotland  and  of  Britain  [Gaston  de  Foix 
wrote  *  Bretainhe,'  which  many  philologists  consider  as   meaning   Brittany, 
but  the  Duke  of  York  made  it  Britain,  and  in  one  manuscript  it  is  rendered 
'England  and  Scotland'],  so  the  alaunts  and  the  hounds  for    the    hawk 
came  out  of  Spain  and  they  take  after  the  nature  of  the  generation  of  which 
they  came.     Hounds  for  the  hawk  are  fighters  and  great  barkers  if  you 
lead  them  ahunting  among  running  hounds,  whatever  beasts  they  hunt  to 
they  will  make  them  lose  the  line,  for  they  will  go  before  now  hither  now 
thither,  as  much  when  they  are  at  fault  as  when  they  go  right  and  lead   the 
hounds  about  and  make  them  over-shoot  and  fail.     Also  if  you  lead  grey- 
hounds with  you,  and  there  be  a  hound  for  the  hawk,  that  is  to  say,  a  spaniel, 
if  he  sees  geese  or  kine,  or  horses,  or  hens  or  oxen  or  other  beasts,  he  will 
run  anon  and  begin  to  bark  at  them,  and  because  of  him  all  the  greyhounds 
will  run  to  take  the  beast  through  his  egging  on,  for  he  will  make  all  the  riot 
and  all  the  harm.     The  hounds  for  the  hawk  have  so  many  other  evil 
habits,  that  unless  I  had  a  goshawk  or  falcon  or  hawks  for  the  river  or 
sparrow  hawk,  or  the  net,  I  would  never  have  any,  especially  there  would  I 
hunt."     The  last  five  words  are  an  addition  of  the  Duke  of  York's,  so  that 
the  description  is  that  of  Gaston  de  Foix;    with  that  exception  and  the 
possible  change  from  "Brittany." 


84  The  Dog  Book 

Still  another  authority  upon  the  widespread  use  of  the  net  for  part- 
ridges is  no  less  than  Martin  Luther.  This  eminent  reformer  was  in  1521 
kept,  for  his  own  safety,  a  prisoner  by  the  Elector  of  Saxony  at  Wartburg, 
and  although  we  have  not  succeeded  in  getting  chapter  and  page  for  the 
following  quotation,  it  is  from  a  thoroughly  reliable  source,  for  all  other 
quotations  we  have  been  in  a  position  to  verify  have  been  absolutely  ac- 
curate. *'I  was,"  wrote  Luther,  "lately  two  days  sporting  in  the  country; 
we  killed  a  brace  of  hares  and  took  some  partridges,  a  very  pretty  employ- 
ment for  an  idle  man!  However,  I  could  not  help  theologizing  amidst  dogs, 
missile  weapons  and  nets;  for  I  thought  to  myself,  do  not  we,  in  hunting 
innocent  animals  to  death,  very  much  resemble  the  devil  who  by  crafty 
wiles,  and  the  instrument  of  wicked  priests,  is  seeking  continually  whom 
he  may  devour  ?" 

The  Setting  Spaniel 

The  second  English  book  on  sports  of  the  chase  is  the  "  Book  of  St. 
Albans,"  as  it  is  called,  attributed  to  Dame  Juliana  Bernes.  "Spanyells" 
are  mentioned,  but  with  no  description,  and  we  can  pass  to  the  first  real  dog 
book  in  the  language.  Yet  it  was  originally  written  in  Latin,  having  been 
prepared  by  Dr.  John  Kays  (Johannes  Caius),  the  founder  of  Caius  College, 
Cambridge,  for  the  use  of  the  naturalist,  Conrad  Gesner,  who  had  asked 
him  for  information  about  "such  dogges  as  were  ingendred  within  the  bor- 
ders of  England."  Dr.  Kays,  or  Caius,  as  he  is  generally  called,  published 
this  Latin  book  about  1570,  and  after  his  death  it  was  translated  into  English 
by  his  friend  and  admirer,  Abraham  Fleming,  and  published  in  1576. 
Fleming  assures  his  readers  in  a  laudatory  preface  that  Dr.  Caius  spared  no 
pains  to  procure  all  possible  information  and  then  to  reduce  his  facts  to 
the  smallest  proportion.  The  second  part  of  his  "discourse"  is  devoted 
to  dogs  used  in  fowling — by  which  was  meant  the  taking  of  all  manner  of 
birds — and  these  dogs  he  divides  into  two  kinds,  those  used  on  land  and 
those  that  found  game  on  the  water.  To  the  dog  used  with  the  net  he 
gives  the  specific  name  of  Setter;  those  used  in  hawking,  he  says,  are  called 
dogs  for  the  falcon,  pheasant  or  partridge,  but  that  the  common  sort  of  peo- 
ple call  them  all  spaniels.  The  third  division  of  this  section  is  devoted  to 
the  water  spaniel  or  finder.  The  entire  section  is  not  so  long  that  it  cannot 
be  given  in  full  and  permit  readers  to  judge  for  themselves  of  the  dogs  men- 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  85 

tioned.     We  may  state,  however,  that  this  use  of  the  word  setter  to  denote 

the  dog  used  with  the  net  was  not  followed  by  later  writers,  so  that  it  cannot 

be  allowed  as  a  specific  and  accepted  name  at  that  period  for  the  dog  which 

eventually  became  known   as  the   setter.     Two  hundred  years  later  the 

"setting  spaniel"  was  still  in  use  for  the  net  and  called  by  that  name,  while 

the  term  setter  was  coming  into  general  use  for  the  dog  employed  in  a 

similar  manner  with  the  gun.     We  will  now  give  the  extract  from  Dr.  Caius 

"Of  Englishe  Dogges." 

The  feconde  Section  of 
this  difcourfe. 

Of  gentle  Dogges  seruing  the  hauke,  and  first  of  the  Spaniell,  called  in  Latine 

Hispaniolus. 

Svch  Dogges  as  feme  for  fowling  I  thinke  conuenient  and  requisite  to  place  in 
this  seconde  Section  of  this  treatise.  These  are  also  to  bee  reckoned  and  accounted 
in  the  number  of  the  dogges  which  come  of  a  gentle  kind,  and  of  those  which  seme 
for  fowling. 

There  be  two  f  The  first  findeth  game  on  the  land      j, 
sortes  ,A.The  other  findeth  game  on  the  water  ) 

Such  as  delight  on  the  land,  play  their  partes,  eyther  by  swiftnesse  of  foote,  or 
by  often  questing,  to  search  out  and  to  spying  the  byrde  for  further  hope  of  aduan- 
tage,  or  else  by  some  secrete  signe  and  priuy  token  bewray  the  place  where  they  fall. 

The  first  kinde  of  f^l^^j^^^^l^g 
such  serue  *- 

The  Seconde,  {  The  net,  or,  traine 

The  first  kinde  haue  no  peculiar  names  assigned  vnto  them,  saue  onely  that 
they  be  denominated  after  the  byrde  which  by  naturall  appointment  he  is  allotted 
to  take,  for  the  which  consideration. 

c  u        11  J     r For  the  Falcon) 

Some  be  called     \  ^^^  pheasant    \  and  such  like 

Dogges,  [^^^  Partridge  J 

The  common  sort  of  people  call  them  by  one  generall  word,  namely,  Spaniells. 
As  though  these  kinde  of  Dogges  came  originally  and  first  of  all  out  of  Spaine,  The 
most  part  of  their  skynnes  are  white,  and  if  they  be  marcked  with  any  spottes,  they 
are  commonly  red,  and  somewhat  great  therewithall,  the  heares  not  growing  in  such 
thicknesse  but  that  the  mixture  of  them  maye  easely  be  perceaued.  Othersome  of 
them  be  reddishe  and  blackishe,  but  of  that  sorte  there  be  but  a  very  few.  There  is 
also  at  this  day  among  vs  a  newe  kinde  of  dogge  brought  out  of  Fraunce  (for  we 
Englishe  men  are  maruailous  greedy  gaping  gluttons  after  nouelties,  and  couetous 
cormorauntes  of  things  that  be  seldom,  rare,  straunge,  and  hard  to  get).  And  they 
bee  speckled  all  ouer  with  white  and  black,  which  mingled  colours  incline  to  a 
marble  blewe,  which  bewtifyeth  their  skines  and  affordeth  a  seemely  show  of 
comlynesse.    These  are  called  French  dogges  as  is  aboue  declared  already. 


86  The  Dog  Book 

The  Dogge  called  the  Setter,  in  Latine,  Index. 

Another  sort  of  Dogges  be  there,  seruiceable  for  fowling,  making  no  noise  either 
with  foote  or  with  tounge,  whiles  they  folio  we  the  game.  These  attend  diligently 
vpon  theyr  Master  and  frame  their  conditions  to  such  beckes,  motions,  and  gestures, 
as  it  shall  please  him  to  exhibite  and  make,  either  going  forward,  drawing  backe- 
ward,  incHning  to  the  right  hand,  or  yealding  toward  the  left,  (In  making  mencion  of 
fowles  my  meaning  is  of  the  Partridge  and  the  Quaile)  when  he  hath  founde  the 
byrde,  he  keepeth  sure  and  fast  silence,  he  stayeth  his  steppes  and  wil  proceede  no 
further,  and  with  a  close,  couert,  watching  eye,  layeth  his  belly  to  the  grounde  and 
so  creepeth  forward  like  a  worme.  When  he  approacheth  neere  to  the  place  where 
the  birde  is,  he  layes  him  downe,  and  with  a  marcke  of  his  pawes,  betrayeth  the 
place  of  the  byrdes  last  abode,  whereby  it  is  supposed  that  this  kinde  of  dogge  is 
called  Index,  Setter,  being  in  deede  a  name  most  consonant  and  agreeable  to  his 
quality.  The  place  being  knowne  by  the  meanes  of  the  dogge,  the  fowler  imme- 
diatly  openeth  and  spreedeth  his  net,  intending  to  take  them,  which  being  done  the 
dogge  at  the  accustomed  becke  or  vsuall  signe  of  his  Master  ryseth  vp  by  and  by, 
and  draweth  neerer  to  the  fowle  that  by  his  presence  they  might  be  the  authors  of 
their  owne  insnaring,  and  be  ready  intangled  in  the  prepared  net,  which  conning 
and  artificiall  indeuour  in  a  dogge  (being  a  creature  domesticall  or  householde 
seruant  brought  vp  at  home  with  offalls  of  the  trencher  and  fragments  of  victualls) 
is  not  much  to  be  maruailed  at,  seeing  that  a  Hare  (being  a  wilde  and  skippishe 
beast)  was  scene  in  England  to  the  astonishment  of  the  beholders,  in  the  year  of 
our  Lorde  God,  1564  not  onely  dauncing  in  measure,  but  playing  with  his  former 
feete  vppon  a  tabbaret,  and  obseruing  iust  number  of  strokes  (as  a  practicioner  in 
that  arte)  besides  that  nipping  &  pinching  a  dogge  with  his  teeth  and  clawes, 
&  cruelly  thumping  him  with  y'  force  of  his  feete.  This  is  no  trumpery  tale,  nor 
trifling  toye  (as  I  imagine)  and  therefore  not  vnworthy  to  be  reported,  for  I  recken 
it  a  requitall  of  my  trauaile,  not  to  drowne  in  the  seas  of  silence  any  speciall  thynge, 
wherein  the  prouidence  and  effectual  working  of  nature  is  to  be  pondered. 

Of  the  Dogge  called  the  water  Spaniell,  or  finder,  in  Latine  Aquaticus  seuinquisitor. 

That  kinde  of  dogge  whose  seruice  is  required  in  fowling  vpon  the  water,  partly 
through  a  naturall  towardnesse,  and  partly  by  diligent  teaching,  is  indued  with  that 
property.  This  sort  is  somewhat  bigge,  and  of  measurable  greatnesse,  hauing 
long,  rough,  and  curled  heare,  not  obtayned  by  extraordinary  trades,  but  giuen 
by  natures  appointment,  yet  neuerthelesse  (friend  Gesner)  I  have  described  and  set 
him  out  in  this  maner,  namely  powlde  and  notted  from  the  shoulders  to  the  hinder- 
most  legges,  and  to  the  end  of  his  tayle,  which  I  did  for  use  and  customs  cause,  that 
beyng  as  it  were  made  somewhat  bare  and  naked,  by  shearing  of  such  superfluitie  of 
heare,  they  might  atchiue  the  more  lightnesse,  and  swiftnesse,  and  be  lesse  hindered 
in  swymming,  so  troublesome  and  needelesse  a  burthen  being  shaken  of.  This  kinde 
of  dogge  is  properly  called  Aquaticus,  a  water  spaniel  because  he  f  requenteth  and  hath 
vsual  recourse  to  the  water  where  all  his  game  &  exercise  lyeth,  namely,  water- 
fowles,  which  are  taken  by  the  helpe  &  seruice  of  them,  in  their  kind.  And  prin- 
cipally ducks  and  drakes,  whereupon  he  is  lykewise  named  a  dogge  for  the  ducke, 
because  in  that  qualitie  he  is  excellent.     With  these  dogges  also  we  fetche  out  of  the 


SPANIELS 

From  "  Gaston  Phoebus,"  or  "  La  Livre  de  Chasse,"  by  Gaston  III.  Count  de  Foix  and  Beam.    This  is  from  the  copy  known  as 

"  Ms.  Bibliotheque  National.  Paris,  f.  fr.  6i6  "  dating  from  the  beginnine  of  the  isth  centurj' 


FEASANT"    HAWKING 

By  Francis  Barlow  (1626-1702J 


Early   Spaniels  and   Setters  87 

water  such  fowle  as  be  stounge  to  death  by  any  venemous  worme,  we  vse 
them  also  to  bring  vs  our  boultes  &  arrowes  out  of  the  water  (missing  our 
marcke)  whereat  we  directed  our  leuell,  which  otherwise  we  should  hardly 
recouer,  and  oftentimes  the  restore  to  vs  our  shaftes  which  we  thought  neuer  to 
se,  touche  or  handle  againe,  after  they  were  lost,  for  which  circumstances 
they  are  called  Inquisitores,  searchers,  and  finders.  Although  the  ducke  otherwhiles 
notably  deceaueth  both  the  dogge  and  the  master,  by  dyuing  vnder  the  water,  and 
also  by  naturall  subtility,  for  if  any  man  shall  approache  to  the  place  where  they 
builde,  breede,  and  syt,  the  hennes  go  out  of  their  neastes,  offering  themselues 
voluntarily  to  the  hands,  as  it  were,  of  such  as  draw  nie  their  neastes.  And  a  certaine 
weaknesse  of  their  winges  pretended,  and  infirmitie  of  their  feete  dissembled,  they 
go  so  slowely  and  so  leisurely,  that  to  a  man's  thinking  it  were  no  masteryes  to  take 
them.  By  which  deceiptful  tricke  they  doe  as  it  were  entyse  and  allure  men  to 
follow  them,  till  they  be  drawn  a  long  distance  from  theyr  neastes,  which  being 
compassed  by  their  prouident  conning,  or  conning  providence  they  cut  of  all  incon- 
ueniences  which  might  growe  of  their  returne,  by  using  many  carefull  and  curious 
caucates,  least  theyr  often  haunting  bewray  ye  place  where  the  young  ducklings 
be  hatched.  Great  therefore  is  theyr  desire,  &  earnest  is  theyr  study  to  take  heede, 
not  only  to  theyr  broode  but  also  to  themselues.  For  when  they  haue  an  ynklin 
that  they  are  espied  they  hide  themselves  vnder  turfes  or  sedges,  wherewith  they 
couer  and  shrowde  themselues  so  closely  and  so  craftely,  that  (notwithstanding  the 
place  where  they  lurke  be  found  and  perfectly  perceaued)  there  they  will  harbour 
without  harme,  except  the  water  spaniell  by  quicke  smelling  discouer  theyr  de- 
ceiptes. 

It  v^ill  be  observed  that  the  common  spaniels  of  that  period  were  the 
particolours,  but  what  Doctor  Caius  calls  red  was  probably  liver  coloured, 
that  having  always  been  a  more  common  colour  than  red  in  the  spaniel,  so 
that  advocates  of  the  lately  installed  Welsh  spaniel  will  do  well  not  to 
take  Doctor  Caius's  red  and  white  spaniel  as  indicative  of  the  early  origin 
of  the  dog  lately  given  that  name.  The  book  was  written  at  Cambridge, 
and  no  mention  is  made  of  the  red  and  whites  as  confined  to  the  principality 
or  any  section  of  England;  he  simply  says  they  were  the  commonest-coloured 
dog  of  all  the  spaniels.  The  marbled  or  blue-belton  colour  mentioned  as 
from  France  is  in  keeping  with  the  note  as  to  Gaston  de  Foix's  description  of 
colour  in  the  quotation  from  "The  Master  of  Game."  Black  and  tan  is 
also  seen  to  be  an  old  spaniel  colour,  and  therefore  not  originating  in  the 
Gordon  setters  or  their  immediate  ancestors. 

Following  close  upon  the  time  of  Fleming's  publication  we  come  upon 
a  very  excellent  book  written  by  Gervase  Markham,  1567-1637,  a  very 
voluminous  writer  on  sporting  subjects.  We  are  not  prepared  to  say  that 
all  he  wrote  was  original,  for  it  was  the  custom  to  take  whole  chapters  from 


88  The  Dog  Book 

prior  writers  and  make  no  mention  of  the  origin.  Gaston  de  Foix  was  not 
even  original  in  all  he  wrote;  the  Duke  of  York  made  a  verbatim  translation, 
with  but  the  slightest  mention  of  where  he  got  his  material,  and  making  no 
distinction  between  translation  and  original  chapters.  Nicholas  Cox  and 
others  who  followed  Markham,  copied  him  verbatim  without  compunction, 
and  while  he  might  have  followed  the  universal  custom  of  his  time,  there  is 
plenty  of  evidence  to  show  that  much  must  have  been  original.  It  is  thor- 
oughly English  in  its  language  and  terms  and  up  to  date  in  the  instructions 
as  to  the  gun  or  fowling  piece  to  be  used,  as  well  as  the  proper  ammunition 
for  the  birds,  or  fowls,  as  everything  flying  was  called.  The  book  we  refer 
to  bears  the  peculiar  title  "Hunger's  Prevention,  or  the  Whole  Art  of 
Fowling  by  Water  and  Land."  All  prior  books  which  contain  references 
to  dogs,  excepting  the  Caius  treatise,  are  mainly  devoted  to  hunting  and 
hawking,  the  three  accomplishments  of  a  gentleman  at  that  time  being 
hunting,  hawking  and  a  thorough  knowledge  of  heraldry.  Indeed,  all  three 
called  for  study  and  memory,  for  the  different  terms  of  the  chase  were  in- 
finite. Nicholas  Cox  as  late  as  1700  filled  fifteen  pages  of  The  Gentleman  s 
Recreation  with  technical  terms.  For  instance,  the  hart  or  red  deer  had 
the  following  names:  First  year,  hind  calf,  or  calf;  second  year,  knobber; 
third  year,  brocke;  fourth  year,  staggard;  fifth  year,  stag;  sixth  year,  hart; 
if  it  had  been  hunted  by  a  king  or  queen,  royal  hart;  if  so  hunted  and  had 
escaped  entirely  and  proclamation  made  for  his  return,  royal  hart  pro- 
claimed. 

Fowling,  outside  of  hawking,  was  a  minor  sport,  and  Markham  seems 
to  have  been  the  first  to  treat  it  fully,  and  certainly  was  the  first  to  publish 
a  book  confined  to  this  particular  branch  of  sport.  He  follows  Caius  in 
the  use  of  the  English  word  "dogge  "  in  place  of  the  Continental  "hound.'* 
Caius  wrote  to  his  friend  Gesner,  "Thus  much  also  understand,  that  as 
in  your  language  Hunde  is  the  common  word,  so  in  our  naturall  tongue 
dogge  is  the  vniuersall,  but  Hunde  is  perticular  and  a  speciall,  for  it  signifieth 
such  a  dogge  only  as  serveth  to  hunt." 

Markham  refers  to  three,  but  gives  particulars  of  but  two  varieties, 
though  all  are  pertinent  to  the  present  subject.  He  treats,  first  of  all,  of 
water  fowl  as  being  the  more  important  on  account  of  their  greater  number 
compared  with  strictly  land  fowl,  so  we  first  have  the  "Water  Dogge,"  a 
retrieving  spaniel.  The  word  spaniel  is  not  mentioned  in  connection  with 
the  dog,  but  we  know  that  at  that  time  it  was  a  spaniel,  the  same  spaniel 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  89 

from  which  we  have  the  poodle  of  to-day  and  clipped  in  i  similar  manner, 
not  for  fashion's  sake,  but  for  work  in  the  water  on  account  of  the  heavy 
coat.  Markham,  however,  is  particularly  severe  on  the  cruelty  of  clipping 
in  winter,  or  of  clipping  all  over,  saying,  "You  shall  see  an  ordinary  Spaniell, 
being  lustily  and  well  kept,  will  tyre  twenty  of  these  over  shaven  Curres  in 
the  could  water."  As  late  as  1800  the  water  dogs  in  England  were  divided 
into  the  Great  Rough  Water  dog  (Cants  aquattcus);  the  Large  Water  Spaniel 
(Cants  inquisitor),  the  name  given  in  Caius;  and  the  Small  Water  Spaniel  or 
Poodle  {Canis  aquaticus  minor).  There  is  no  need  to  go  into  the  details 
of  the  work  of  the  Water-Dogge  as  given  by  Markham,  at  least  at  the  present 
time,  and  the  description  of  the  dog  will  suffice:  "The  Water-Dogge  is  a 
creature  of  such  generall  use  and  so  frequent  in  use  amongst  us  here  in 
England,  that  it  is  needlesse  to  make  any  large  description  of  him:  the 
rather  since  not  any  among  us  so  simple,  that  he  cannot  say  when  hee  seeth 
him.  This  is  a  Water-Dogge  or  a  dogge  bred  for  the  water;  yet  because  in 
this  (as  in  other  creatures)  there  are  other  Characters  and  Formes  which 
pretend  more  excellencie,  and  figure  a  greater  height  of  vertue  then  others 
doe;  I  will  here  describe  as  neere  as  I  can  the  best  proportion  of  the  perfect 
Water-Dogge. 

**  First,  for  the  Colour  of  the  best  Water-Dogge,  allbeit  some  (which 
are  curious  in  all  things)  will  ascribe  more  excellency  to  one  colour  then 
to  another,  as  the  Blacke  to  be  the  best  and  hardest,  the  Lyverhued 
swiftest  in  swimming,  and  the  Pyed  or  Spotted  Dogge,  quickest  of  scent; 
yet  in  truth  it  is  nothing  so,  for  all  colours  are  alike,  and  so  a  dogge  of  any 
of  the  former  colours,  may  be  excellent  good  Dogges,  and  of  any,  may  bee 
most  notable  Curres,  according  to  their  first  ordering  and  trayning;  for 
Instruction  is  the  liquor  wherewith  they  are  seasoned  and  if  they  be  well 
handled  at  the  first,  they  will  ever  smell  of  that  discression,  and  if  they  bee 
ill  handled  they  will  ever  stinke  of  that  folly. 

"To  proceede,  then,  your  Dogge  may  be  of  any  colour  and  yet  excellent, 
and  his  hair  in  generall  would  be  long  and  curled,  not  loose  and  shagged; 
for  the  first  shewes  hardinesse  and  ability  to  endure  water,  the  other  much 
tendernesse  and  weaknesse,  making  his  sport  grievous;  his  head  would 
be  round  and  curled,  his  ears  broad  and  hanging,  his  Eye  full,  lively  and 
quicke,  his  nose  very  short,  his  Lippe  Hound-like,  side  and  rough  bearded, 
his  Chappes  with  a  full  set  of  strong  Teeth,  and  the  generall  features  of  his 
whole  countenance  being  united  together  would  be  as  a  Lyon  like  as  might 


90  The  Dog  Book 

be,  for  that  shewes  fiercenesse  and  goodnesse :  His  neckc  would  bee  thicke 
and  short,  his  brest  like  the  brest  of  a  Shippe,  sharpe  and  compasse,  his 
shoulders  broad,  his  fore  Legs  streighte,  his  chine  square,  his  Buttocks 
rounde,  his  Ribbes  compasse,  his  belly  gaunt,  his  thyes  brawny,  his  Cam- 
brels crooked,  his  posterns  strong  and  dew-clawde,  and  all  his  four  feete 
spacious,  full  and  round  and  closed  together  to  the  cley  like  a  water  Ducke, 
for  they  being  his  oares  to  rowe  him  in  the  water,  having  that  shape,  will 
carry  his  body  away  the  faster.  And  thus  you  have  the  true  description  of  a 
perfect  Water-dogge,  as  you  may  see  following." 

Clear  instructions  follow  as  to  the  training  of  the  water  dog  from 
which  we  extract  this  reference  to  the  breaking  of  dogs  by  trainers:  "It  is 
the  nature  of  every  free  meetle  Dogge,  and  many  of  those  which  come  from 
the  best  reputed  teachers,  that  as  soon  as  they  heare  the  peece  [gun]  goe  off, 
they  will  presently  rush  forth  and  flye  in  amongst  the  Fowle  before  you  have 
leisure  to  open  your  lippes." 

The  other  dog  treated  of  at  length  by  Markham  is  that  called  the  Setter 
by  Caius,  but  here  named  Setting-Dogge.  In  the  instructions  regarding 
taking  partridges  four  methods  are  indicated,  only  one  of  which  interests  us, 
and  is  as  follows: 

"The  fourth  and  last  way  for  the  taking  of  partridges  (and  which 
indeed  excelleth  all  the  other  for  the  excellency  of  the  sport,  and  the  rareness 
of  the  Art  which  is  contained  therein)  is  the  taking  of  them  with  the  setting 
Dogge,  for  in  it  there  is  a  two-fold  pleasure  and  a  two-fold  Art  to  bee  dis- 
covered; as  first  the  pleasure  and  Art  preceeding  from  the  Dogge  and  is 
contained  in  this  manner,  of  ranging,  hunting  and  setting."  .  .  .  "It 
is  meete  that  first  before  I  wade  further  into  this  discourse,  I  shew  you, 
what  a  Setting  Dogge  is:  you  shall  then  understand  that  a  Setting  Dogge  is 
a  certaine  lusty  land  spaniel,  taught  by  nature  to  hunt  the  partridges,  before, 
and  more  than  any  other  chase." 

Here  follow  complete  instructions  regarding  the  training  of  the  dog 
for  use  with  the  net,  and  we  return  once  more  in  a  special  chapter  to  the 
dog  and  how  to  choose  one  and  train  him  perfectly,  and  this  is  the  sort 
of  dog  Markham  recommends: 

"The  first  thing,  therefore,  that  you  must  learne  in  this  art  is,  to  make 
a  true  election  of  your  dogge,  which  you  apply  to  this  purpose  of  Setting, 
and  in  this  election  you  shall  observe,  that  although  any  dogge  which  is  of 
perfect  and  good  scent  and  naturally  addicted  to  the  hunting  of  feathers, 


"THE   SETTING  DOGGE  " 

From  Gervase  Markham's  "  Hunger's  Prevention,"  London.  1621 


"  THE   WATER   DOGGE  " 

From  Gervase  Markham's  "  Hunger's  Prevenlion,"  London,  1621 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  91 

as  whether  it  be  the  Land-Spaniell,  Water-Spaniell  or  else  the  Mungrell 
between  either  or  both  those  kindes,  or  the  mungrells  of  either  of  those 
kindes,  either  the  shallow  flewed  hound,  the  tumbler,  lurcher  or  indeed  the 
small  bastard  mastiffe  may  bee  brought  to  this  perfection  of  Setting  (as  I 
have  scene  by  daily  experience,  both  in  this  and  in  other  nations),  yet  is  there 
none  so  excellent  indeede  as  the  true-bred  Land-Spaniell,  being  of  a  nimble 
and  good  size,  rather  small  than  grosse,  and  of  a  courageous  and  fierie 
metal,  evermore  loving  and  desiring  toyle,  when  toyle  seems  most  yrksome 
and  weary,  which,  although  you  cannot  know  in  a  whelp  so  young,  as  it  is 
intended  he  must  be  when  you  first  begin  to  traine  him  for  this  purpose,  yet 
may  you  have  strong  speculation  therein,  if  you  choose  him  from  a  right 
litter  or  breede,  wherein  by  succession  you  have  knowne  that  the  whole 
generation  has  been  endowed  with  all  these  qualities,  as,  namely,  that  he 
is  strong,  lusty  and  nimble  ranger,  both  of  active  foote,  wanton  tayle  and 
busie  nostrils,  and  that  his  toyle  is  without  wearinesse,  his  search  without 
changeablenesse,  and  yet  that  no  delight  nor  desire  transport  him  beyond 
feare  or  obedience,  for  it  is  the  perfectest  character  of  the  perfectest  Spaniell 
ever  to  be  fearfull  and  loving  to  him  who  is  his  master  and  keeper.  I 
confesse  I  have  seen  excellent,  rare  Setting  doggs  made  in  the  Lowe-countries 
which  have  beene  of  a  bastard  tumbler  kind,  for  indeede  a  true  Land- 
Spaniell  is  the  GayfFon  [probably  a  misspelling  of  Griffon  in  its  old  form  of 
Gryffon],  and,  indeed,  I  have  found  in  them,  if  I  may  so  term  it,  a  greater 
wisdome,  which  indeede  is  but  a  greater  fear,  than  in  our  Land-Spaniels. 
But  comparing  the  whole  work  together — that  is,  the  labour  in  ranging, 
the  scent  in  finding  and  the  arte  of  Setting — they  have  beene  much  inferior 
to  our  dogges.  To  speake  then  in  a  word  touching  the  best  choice  of  this 
Setting  Dogge,  let  him  be  as  neere  as  you  can  the  best  bredd  Land-Spanieli, 
that  you  can  procure,  and  though  some  have  beene  curious  in  observing  of 
their  colours,  as  giving  preheminence  to  the  Motley,  the  Liver-hude,  or  the 
White  and  Blacke  spotted;  yet  questionlesse,  it  is  but  a  vaine  curiosity,  for  no 
colour  is  amisse  for  this  purpose,  provided  the  naturall  qualities  be  perfect 
and  answerable  for  the  worke  to  which  ende  you  intende  them." 

The  third  reference  to  dogs  in  this  book  is  where  the  taking  of  pheasants 
by  bird-limed  bushes  is  described.  Pheasants  were  strong  enough  to  break 
away  with  the  limed  bushes,  and  in  order  to  recover  these  birds  "you  shall 
be  sure  never  to  be  without  an  excellent  staunch  Spaniell,  which  shall 
lie  close  to  your  foot  without  stirring,  and  this  Spaniell  must  be  an  excellent 


92  The  Dog  Book 

retriever,  and  one  that  will  fetch  and  carry,  and  that  by  any  means  will  not 
break  nor  bruise  either  flesh  or  feather,  but  having  found  its  prey  will 
forthwith  bring  it  unto  you,  and  lay  it  by  your  feet.  This  dogge  as  soon  as 
you  shall  finde  that  any  pheasants  are  escaped,  you  shall  thruste  into  the 
thickets  and  make  him  hunt  and  bring  forth  all  such  pheasants  as  shall  lie 
hidden,  till  by  the  true  number  of  your  lime  bushes  you  find  there  is  no  more 
in  that  place." 

This  ordinary  spaniel  Markham  did  not  consider  it  worth  while  giving 
an  illustration  of,  but  thanks  to  a  little  known  but  excellent  draughtsman 
and  engraver  named  Francis  Barlow  we  have  drawings  of  the  spaniel  used 
in  hawking.  Markham  died  in  1637  and  Barlow  was  born  in  1630  and, 
although  we  cannot  tell  the  date  of  his  set  of  prints  illustrative  of  hunting, 
hawking  and  fishing,  yet  there  can  be  no  great  lapse  of  time  between  the 
dates  of  the  later  editions  of  the  book  (1655)  and  the  illustration  we  now 
give.     (Facing  page  87.) 

The  Individual  Fields  of  the  Setter  and  the  Pointer 

In  tracing  the  transitions  of  the  dog  which  became  the  setter  of  to-day 
it  is  impossible  to  overlook  the  potent  influence  which  the  development 
of  the  ancient  fowling-piece  into  the  flint-lock  shotgun  exercised,  and 
the  present  seems  to  be  the  appropriate  point  to  set  that  forth,  as  our  next 
step  will  be  the  final  one  of  difi^erentiating  the  family  into  the  subdivisions 
which  prevail  to  this  day,  and  they  will  then  be  taken  up  in  detail  as  breeds. 

We  have  just  been  quoting  Markham  as  to  the  setting  dog  used  solely 
with  the  net.  The  gun  was  also  in  use  at  that  period,  but  only  for  water- 
fowl, and  that  when  they  were  not  captured  by  netting,  for  the  "engine'* 
then  in  use  was  a  most  unhandy  weapon.  "Of  the  fowling  piece  you  shall 
understand  that  to  be  the  best  which  is  of  the  longest  barrell,  as  five  foot 
and  a  half,  or  six  foot,  and  the  bore  indifferent  [tolerably  large,  we  would  say] 
under  Harquebus.  As  for  the  shape  and  manner  of  it  tis  better  it  be  a  fire 
lock  or  snaphaunce  than  a  cocke  and  tricker,  for  it  is  safer  and  better  for 
carriage,  readier  for  use  and  keeps  the  powder  dryer  in  all  weather,  whereas 
the  blowing  of  a  coal  is  many  times  the  loss  of  the  thing  aimed  at.** 

The  "cocke  and  tricker"  gun  was  the  old  fire-lock  operated  as  follows: 
A  priming-pan  was  attached  to  the  barrel  in  a  manner  similar  to  the  powder- 
pan  which  all  of  us  must  have  seen  in  the  old  flint-locks.     The  priming  was 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  93 

kept  covered  until  about  to  be  used,  when  the  cover  had  to  be  removed  by 
hand.  In  front  of  this  was  a  lighted  fuse  which,  when  the  trigger  was  pulled, 
fell  back  into  the  priming-pan,  igniting  the  powder  and  firing  the  piece.  All 
this  was  very  cumbersome  and  was  only  used  when  it  was  impossible  to 
adopt  some  other  plan  of  capturing  or  killing  the  game.  The  snaphaunce 
was  the  first  of  the  flint-locks,  being  that  piece  in  its  original  state.  The 
idea  was  the  flint-and-steel  gun,  but  it  could  not  be  operated  entirely  by  the 
trigger  and  the  cock.  It  was  a  Spanish  invention  which  had  a  rival  in  the 
wheel-lock  used  mainly  in  Germany  and  the  north  of  France.  The  snap- 
haunce being  much  the  simpler  and  handier  weapon,  survived  until  the  flint- 
lock was  invented,  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  while  this 
book  we  have  quoted  from  was  first  published  in  162 1. 

There  was  much  opposition  to  the  introduction  of  the  flint-lock,  and  it 
was  well  into  the  eighteenth  century  before  it  was  adopted  by  the  armies 
of  western  Europe.  This  new  weapon,  with  its  quicker  firing,  though  slow 
compared  with  the  instantaneous  work  of  the  breechloader  upon  pulling 
the  trigger,  opened  up  a  vastly  larger  field  for  the  sportsman  and  made 
shooting  from  the  shoulder  without  rest  possible,  as  well  as  shooting  on  the 
wing.  In  water-fowl  shooting  the  snaphaunce  with  its  murderous  load  was 
only  fired  into  the  thick  of  the  water-fowl  when  bunched  on  the  water. 

Some  misconception  seems  to  exist  as  to  time  shooting  on  the  wing 
became  the  custom  in  England,  owing  to  the  publication  of  a  book  on  the 
"Art  of  Shooting  Flying"  about  the  year  1800,  but  that  book  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  introduction  of  this  style  of  shooting.  William  Henry  Scott 
in  his  "British  Field  Sports,"  London,  18 18,  writes  as  follows  in  the  chapter 
on  shooting: 

"  It  has  been  advanced  by  several  of  our  sporting  writers,  that  to  shoot 
flying  is  almost  a  novelty  and  that  the  practice  is  scarcely  thirty  or  forty 
years  old.  I  can  only  say  that  no  such  fact  tallies  with  my  recollection, 
which  extends  to  a  retrospect  of  about  five  and  fifty  years  (1763)  for  I  was 
a  very  young  attendant  at  shooting  parties  and  partial  to  the  use  of  the  gun, 
although  for  causes  not  necessary  to  detail  never  attained  any  eminence 
as  a  shot.  At  the  period  referred  to,  all  sportsmen  within  the  narrow  circle 
of  my  view,  were  accustomed  to  shoot  flying  precisely  as  their  successors 
now  are;  and  he  would  at  that  time  have  been  viewed  as  a  sorry  sports- 
man indeed,  who  should  have  gone  into  the  field  only  to  aim  at  sitting 
marks.     No  such  drivelling  practice  was  even  dreamed  of,  and  there  were 


94  The  Dog  Book 

then  as  now,  keepers  and  other  capital  marksmen,  who  would  bring  down 
their  small  bird  at  fifty  or  sixty  yards,  with  almost  unerring  aim.  For  my 
part  I  can  have  no  idea  of  the  period  in  our  sporting  annals,  when,  to  shoot 
flying  with  the  gun  was  an  uncommon  attempt,  at  least  within  the  period 
in  which  locks  upon  the  present  principle  have  been  in  use." 

But  we  can  carry  shooting  flying  still  another  fifty  years  back,  and  that 
through  the  poet  Gay.  It  may  be  incidentally  remarked  that  Mr.  Simons, 
from  whom  we  will  soon  quote  freely,  and  whose  knowledge  covered  the 
period  from  the  time  of  the  poet  Gay  to  well  after  the  date  given  as  the  early 
recollection  of  William  Henry  Scott,  refers  to  shooting  on  the  wing  as  a 
matter  of  course.  His  instructions  to  the  young  sportsman  begins  with 
going  out  with  an  unloaded  gun,  with  a  stifle  piece  of  leather  for  the  flint, 
so  as  to  get  accustomed  to  "the  spring  of  the  bird"  and  become  uniform 
in  his  covering  the  birds  at  or  very  near  the  same  distance.  "Let  him 
accustom  himself  not  to  take  his  gun  from  his  arm  till  the  bird  is  on  the 
wing."  And  now  for  the  poet  Gay,  from  whose  poems,  published  in  1720, 
we  get  this: 

"See  how  the  well-taught  pointer  leads  the  way; 
The  scent  grows  warm ;  he  stops;  he  springs  the  prey; 
The  fluttering  coveys  from  the  stubble  rise, 
And  on  swift  wing  divide  the  sounding  skies; 
The  scattering  lead  pursues  the  certain  sight, 
And  death  in  thunder  overtakes  their  flight. 

Nor  less  the  spaniel,  skilful  to  betray, 
Rewards  the  fowler  with  the  feathered  prey. 
Soon  as  the  labouring  horse  with  swelling  veins 
Hath  safely  housed  the  farmer's  doubtful  gains, 
To  sweet  repast  th'  unwary  partridge  flies, 
With  joy  amid  the  scattered  harvest  lies ; 
Wandering  in  plenty,  danger  he  forgets, 
Nor  dreads  the  slavery  of  entangling  nets." 

This  quotation  is  valuable  for  two  things,  it  being  the  earliest  mention 
of  the  pointer  that  we  have  been  able,  so  far,  to  come  across  and  the  first 
reference  to  shooting  on  the  wing,  and  the  conclusion  they  thus  point  to 
is  that  they  were  introduced  into  England  simultaneously. 

One  would  naturally  suppose  that  the  setting  dog  would  have  been 
made  use  of  at  once  to  set  the  game  for  shooting  on  land,  but  such  does  not 
seem  to  have  been  the  case.  The  Gentleman  s  Recreation^  by  Nicholas  Cox, 
published  about  1700 — our  copy  is  the  sixth  edition  and  is  dated  1721 — 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  95 

is,  as  far  as  it  can  go,  a  slavish  copy  of  Markham.  Here  is  how  he  starts  his 
remarks  upon  the  fowling-piece  and  it  can  be  compared  with  the  foregoing 
quotation:  "That  is  ever  esteemed  the  best  fowling  piece  which  hath  the 
longest  barrel,  being  five  foot  and  a  half  or  six  foot  long,  with  an  indifferent 
bore,  under  Harquebus."  He  of  course  omits  reference  to  the  out-of-date 
weapons,  but  says  nothing  regarding  the  flint-lock.  So  also  respecting  dogs, 
it  is  merely  a  copy  of  Markham,  mostly  verbatim.  Presumably,  there 
may  be  some  scarce  works  which  might  fill  in  the  period  between  Markham 
and  our  next  authority,  but  we  have  not  found  any,  nor  seen  any  reference 
thereto,  so  that  our  next  quotation  will  be  from  a  very  complete  little  work 
never  mentioned  in  dog  books,  and  that  is  the  "Treatise  on  Field  Diver- 
sions," published  anonymously  by  "A  gentleman  of  Suffolk:  A  staunch 
Sportsman."  The  author  was  the  Rev.  Mr.  Simons,  of  Kelsoe,  Saxmund- 
ham,  Suffolk.  The  first  edition  appeared  in  1776,  and  so  highly  was  it 
esteemed  that  it  was  reprinted  verbatim  in  1824,  having  been  for  some  time 
out  of  print  and  very  scarce.  In  the  preface  to  this  reissue  it  is  described 
as  "decidedly  the  best  work  on  the  subjects  on  which  it  treats." 

Mr.  Simons  was  a  gentleman  of  education  and  undoubtedly  of  ex- 
tensive experience  in  field  sports,  and  his  little  book  covers  the  ground  from 
1725,  for  he  at  one  point  speaks  of  dogs  he  had  seen  or  known  fifty  years 
prior  to  the  publication  in  1776.  The  whole  book  teems  with  personal 
views  and  information  as  to  the  various  dogs  used  in  field  sports  and  we 
would  we  could  give  longer  quotations  than  we  now  do,  but  as  this  is  near 
the  splitting  of  the  ways,  and  much  he  writes  can  be  used  in  referring  to  the 
breeds  in  their  order,  only  suflScient  will  now  be  given  to  show  that  the 
setter  was  still  the  setting  dog  and  that  the  dog  for  shooting  over  on  point 
was  the  lately  introduced  pointer,  which  came  to  England  about  1700,  and 
we  are  told  was  still  being  imported  from  Spain  and  Portugal  when  Mr. 
Symonds  wrote  in  1776.  The  springer  and  cocker  were  also  gun  dogs,  as 
of  course  was  the  water  spaniel,  and  in  this  work  we  first  find  the  division 
of  breeds  of  the  land  spaniel  family.  The  quotations  will  be  running  ones, 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  proving  the  foregoing  statements. 

Under  the  caption  of  "Of  the  Setter"  we  find  these  remarks:  "To  him 
we  are  indebted  for  the  genteelest  enjoyment  of  the  field."  This  is  a  reference 
to  his  use  with  the  net.  For  after  stating  that  hunting  is  the  oldest  sport,  he 
claims  that  netting  followed,  and  quotes,  "Surely  in  vain  the  net  is  spread  in 
sight  of  any  bird,"  as  evidence  that  netting  was  the  next  oldest  sport,  but  at 


96  The  Dog  Book 

what  date  the  setter  assisted  first  he  acknowledges  cannot  be  ascertained. 
Now  as  to  the  dog  he  calls  the  setter  or  dog  to  set  for  the  net.  "There  are 
now  various  kinds  called  Setters,  from  their  being  appropriated  to  that  serv- 
ice; such  as  between  the  English  spaniel  and  the  foxhound,  ditto  and  pointer, 
and  the  pure  pointer  simply  by  himself.  Whim  gave  rise  to  the  first  cross, 
very  probably;  but  most  assuredly  indolence  contrived  the  latter.  None 
can,  however,  have  any  just  claim  to  the  appellation,  but  what  is  emphatically 
called  by  way  of  eminence,  the  English  spaniel.  The  Irish  insist — their  s 
are  the  true  Spaniel;  the  Welsh  contend — their  s  are  the  aborigenes.  Be 
that  as  it  may:  whatever  mixtures  may  have  been  since  made,  there  were, 
fifty  years  ago,  two  distinct  tribes — the  black  tanned  and  the  orange,  or 
lemon  and  white.  In  each  class  I  have  seen  the  short,  close  coat,  and  the  loose, 
soft,  waved  one  with  an  equality  of  goodness  under  each  description  and 
complexion.  These  kinds  (especially  the  orange  and  white)  are  fond, 
docile  and  spirited.  Was  I  ever  to  break  another  dog  to  the  net,  I  should 
prefer  the  highest  hunter  of  that  sort,  to  the  reduced  half  breed  by  the 
pointer,  and  engage  to  perfect  him  in  less  time." 

A  little  further  on  we  find  his  description  of  what  he  desires  in  the 
setter:  "He  should  be  rather  tall  than  otherwise;  flat  ribbed  and  longish 
in  the  back:  for  a  dog,  where  speed  is  a  principle  requisite,  must  as  well 
as  a  horse,  in  the  language  of  the  turf,  *  stand  upon  ground.'  A  gentleman 
who  resided  some  time  in  Wales  tells  me  this  is  a  true  description  of  their 
finest  setters." 

While  describing  the  pointer  and  comparing  the  two  breeds  he  says: 
"The  setter  cannot  be  degraded  into  a  pointer;  but  the  pointer  may  be 
elevated  to  a  setter,  though  but  a  second  class.  The  setter  is  only  of  ser- 
vice where  there  is  room  to  run  a  net,  so  must  be  hunted  accordingly.  Whole 
coveys  are  the  just  attention  of  the  setter.  Birds  sprung  and  divided  mostly 
drop  in  hedgerows,  where  there  is  no  liberty  for  action,  or  in  turnips  where  a 
horse  must  do  considerable  damage  in  advancing  the  net."  Later  on, 
when  it  comes  to  the  training  of  the  setter,  not  one  word  is  written  regarding 
the  gun,  but  simply  the  net  and  the  use  of  one  dog  at  a  time.  The  single 
setter  had  to  quarter  his  ground  exactly  as  for  the  gun,  but  when  he  found 
his  birds,  then  the  net  and  that  only  was  used.  To  show  more  clearly  still 
that  this  is  so,  we  turn  to  the  instructions  for  the  training  of  the  pointer  and 
read  as  follows:  "After  perusing  the  former  pages  some  may  think  this  a 
repetition,  altering  the  name  but  retaining  the  mode  of  tuition.     .     .     * 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  97 

The  pointer  as  has  been  the  setter,  is  broke  from  chasing  we  well  suppose, 
to  which  the  sight  of  the  game  had  hitherto  been  the  stimulus.  Now, 
although  he  will  hear  the  whirl  and  departure  of  the  birds  it  is  more  than 
probable  the  report  of  the  gun  will  agitate  him  into  the  forgetfulness  of  duty 
and  urge  to  pursuit." 

It  would  be  natural  to  conclude  from  the  mention  of  whole  coveys 
being  the  aim  of  the  setter  and  the  uses  of  the  net,  that  wholesale  destruction 
of  game  was  the  object  and  the  result.  Such,  indeed,  was  our  opinion  until 
we  came  across  the  following  in  *' Sportingy"  edited  by  "Nimrod,"  Lon- 
don, 1837,  the  article  being  on  "The  Setter  and  Grouse,"  by  the  editor: 

"This  mode  of  sporting,  however,  has  long  been  out  of  fashion,  and 
is  what  I  never  saw  practised  but  by  one  sportsman  in  my  life.  This  was  a 
Flintshire  squire  of  the  old-fashioned  sort  [Peter  Davies  of  Broughton 
Hall],  who  was  famous  for  his  "setting  dogs,"  as  they  were  then  called,  and 
it  was  a  very  pleasing  sight  to  witness  them  in  their  work. 

"The  old  gentleman  took  the  field  in  good  style,  being  accompanied  by 
a  servant  to  hold  his  horse  when  he  dismounted,  and  two  mounted  keepers 
in  their  green  plush  jackets  and  gold-laced  hats.  A  leash  of  highly  bred 
red  and  white  setters  were  let  loose  at  a  time,  and  beautifully  did  they  range 
the  fields,  quartering  the  ground  in  obedience  to  the  voice  or  the  whistle. 
On  the  game  being  found,  every  dog  was  down,  with  his  belly  close  on  the 
ground;  and  the  net  being  unfurled,  the  keepers  advanced  on  a  gentle 
trot,  at  a  certain  distance  from  each  other,  and  drew  it  over  them  and  the 
covey  at  the  same  time.  Choice  was  then  made  of  the  finest  birds,  which 
were  carried  home  alive,  and  kept  in  a  room  until  wanted,  and  occasionally 
all  would  be  let  fly  again,  on  ascertaining  their  unfitness  for  the  spit.  Modern 
sportsmen  may  consider  this  tame  sport,  and  so  in  fact  it  is,  compared  with 
the  excitement  attending  the  gun;  but  still  it  has  its  advantages.  It  was 
the  means  of  preserving  game  on  an  estate,  by  equalising  the  number  of 
cock  and  hen  birds — at  least  to  a  certain  extent — and  killing  the  old  ones; 
no  birds  were  destroyed  but  what  were  fit  for  eating;  and  such  as  were 
destroyed,  were  put  to  death  at  once,  without  the  chance  of  lingering  from 
the  effects  of  a  wound,  which  is  a  circumstance  inseparable  from  shooting." 

We  do  not  at  all  doubt  that  setters  had  been  and  were  then  being  used 
as  were  pointers,  but  the  point  we  make  is  that  the  proper  division,  when 
It  came  to  the  ethics  of  sport,  was  for  the  long-legged  spaniel,  or  setter,  to 
be  restricted  to  ranging  and  standing  his  birds  for  the  net,  while  the  pointer, 


98  The  Dog  Book 

working  singly  or  in  braces,  hunted  and  stood  for  the  gun.  But  that  this 
could  not  long  continue  we  can  readily  understand,  for  netting  was  the  style 
of  the  market  supplier,  and  as  the  setter  could  stand  or  set  the  birds  as 
well  as  the  pointer,  it  very  naturally  came  about  that  with  the  increased  use 
of  the  shotgun  the  fanciers  of  the  setter  used  him  in  place  of  a  pointer.  We 
incline  to  think  that  it  was  a  very  quick  change,  for  thirty  years  later,  1808, 
an  anonymously  published  volume  of  poetry  with  the  title  of  "Fowling** 
gives  quite  a  different  complexion  to  the  use  of  the  different  dogs  with  the 
gun.  In  Scott's  "  British  Field  Sports,"  London,  18 18,  there  are  a  few 
quotations  from  "  Fowling,*'  one  of  which  is  credited  "  Vincent's  Fowl- 
ing." We  have  never  seen  any  other  mention  of  the  book  or  poem. 
The  poem  is  divided  into  five  "books"  descriptive  of  grouse,  partridge, 
pheasant,  woodcock,  and  duck  and  snipe  shooting,  and  the  manner  in  which 
each  sport  is  handled  leaves  no  question  as  to  the  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  author,  who  in  his  preface  acknowledges  that  Somerville's  "The  Chase** 
was  the  incentive  which  prompted  him  to  write  on  fowling.  He  draws 
attention  to  the  fact  that  he  has  not  copied  Somerville  in  introducing  foreign 
modes,  for  "  it  was  a  home  scene  he  wished  to  delineate  and  nature  and  sport 
were  the  only  figures  in  the  picture."     From  the  book  on  grouse-shooting 

we  extract  as  follows: 

"No  tow'ring  trees 
In  these  rude  solitudes  diffuse  a  shade: 
There  loss  not  felt,  while  my  observant  eye 
Follows  my  ranging  setters.     How  they  wind 
Along  the  bending  heath!  and  now  they  climb 
The  rocky  ridge,  where  mid  the  broken  crags 
The  whortle's  purple  berries  peep.     'Take  heed  I* 
The  pack  is  near  at  hand ;  the  wary  dogs 
Draw  slowly  on.    They  stand  immovable, 
Backing  the  leader.     Now  my  pulse  beat  quick 
With  expectation,  but  by  practice  trained 
At  once  subside,  that  coolness  may  assist 
My  steady  aim.     Meantime  my  well-trained  dogs 
Enjoy  their  sett :  I  hie  them  in :  the  birds 
On  sounding  pinions  rise,  jet  not  so  swift 
But  that  the  whistling  shot  o'ertake  their  flight. 
One  flutt'ring  beats  the  ground  with  broken  wing 
And  breast  distained  by  blood ;  the  rest  far  off 
Urg'd  on  by  fear,  skim  o'er  the  distant  moors, 
'Till  by  the  haze  obscured,  my  eye  no  more 
Discerns  their  flight." 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  99 

"  Again 
Upstarting  from  the  ground,  where  close  they  lie 
Till  the  reloaded  gun  shall  give  them  leave, 
They  bound  along." 

•  •••••• 

"There,  where  yon  rising  hillocks  mark  the  spot, 
I  saw  the  pack  with  wings  that  seemed  declined. 
And  intermitted  speed ;  not  far  from  thence 
Perchance  they  lie;  ah  no!  the  rising  ground 
Must  have  deceiv'd  my  eye.     Push  on  my  dogs; 
Their  flight  was  further  still.     But  Pero  stands 
With  head  erect,  his  fellows  straight  proclaim 
The  glad  intelligence,  distinctly  borne 
Upon  the  bosom  of  the  adverse  gale. 
With  steady  pace  how  they  draw  on,  and  see 
How  short  that  dog  has  turn'd ;  with  body  curv'd 
Almost  a  semicircle  there  he  stands." 

It  is  well  to  draw^  attention  to  some  of  the  features  of  these  graphic 
descriptions.  The  word  "pack"  is  of  course  the  technical  grouse  term  for 
what  in  partridges  or  quail  is  "covey."  We  have  the  leader  pointing, 
standing,  not  dropping  as  to  the  net,  and  his  fellow  or  fellows  backing  the 
point.  Then  after  the  kill,  the  setters  were  kept  at  "down  charge"  till  the 
tedious  process  of  loading  and  priming  the  old-fashioned  flint  and  steel 
muzzle-loader  was  accomplished.  Pero  again  stands  and  is  backed,  and 
finally  we  have  the  excellent  description  of  the  dog  wheeling  to  the  point 
and  arresting  himself  at  the  half  turn. 

The  poet  next  takes  partridge-shooting,  and  now  he  sings : 

"My  hasty  meal  dispatched,  I  seize  my  gun 
And  issue  forth ;  from  their  clean  kennels  loos'd 
My  pointers  meet  me,  and  with  unfeign'd  joy 
Around  me  bound  impatient,  as  I  trace 
The  rocky  lane  to  yonder  rising  ground." 

"  Near  yonder  hedge-row  where  high  grass  and  ferns 
The  secret  hollow  shade,  my  pointers  stand. 
How  beautiful  they  look!  with  outstretched  tails, 
With  heads  immoveable  and  eyes  fast  fix'd. 
One  foreleg  rais'd  and  bent,  the  other  firm, 
Advancing  forward,  presses  the  ground." 

As  the  quotations  are  merely  meant  to  show  the  divisions  of  dogs  for 
the  gun,  the  foregoing  will  suffice  for  the  pointer  with  the  partridge.     The 


loo  The  Dog  Book 

following  from  the  description  of  pheasant-shooting  is  noticeable  for  several 
things :  that  while  his  selections  of  setters  for  grouse  and  pointers  for  part- 
ridges were  apparently  the  proper  and  accustomed  things  to  do,  there  is  a 
question  of  choice  in  pheasant-shooting  and  his  is  the  pointer,  and  he 
takes  but  a  single  dog  into  the  woods  for  this  sport: 

"Oft  undecided  is  the  choice  of  dogs 
To  push  the  pheasant  from  his  close  retreat. 
The  questing  spaniel  some  prefer,  and  some 
The  steady  pointer;  while  the  use  of  both 
Is  tried  by  others.     In  the  earliest  days 
Of  the  glad  season  to  the  woods  they  lead 
Their  noisy  spaniels,  whose  wide  ranging  feet 
And  echoing  voices  rouse  the  startled  birds, 
E'en  in  their  deepest  holds.     But  when  the  game 
More  shy  and  cautious  grows,  they  use  alone 
The  well-bred  pointer.     But  none  other  dog 
Shall  e'er  attend  my  steps,  or  late 
Or  early  in  the  season." 

"One  old  and  trusty  pointer  at  my  side  attends." 

The  use  of  the  single  pointer  is  obvious,  as  the  dog  did  not  point,  but 

put  up  the  birds,  like  spaniels,  and  by  having  but  one  dog  the  shooter  could 

be  in  better  control  of  the  rising  birds.     We  will  now  go  woodcock-shooting, 

to  which  the  sportsman  has  been  looking  forward  anxiously  in  expectation  of 

the  flight: 

"Impatient  of  restraint,  he  brooks  no  more 
The  long  delay,  but  to  the  echoing  wood 
His  loud-tongu'd  spaniels  takes,  and  toils,  and  tries 
Each  ferny  thicket  and  each  miry  swamp." 

But  success  is  not  yet,  the  flight  is  not  on,  so  he  tips  a  rustic  to  give  him 
early  notice  of  the  arrival  of  the  birds.     The  good  word  arrives  at  evening: 

"Now  let  us  with  due  care  examine  well 
The  trusty  gun;  the  polish 'd  lock  explore 
Through  all  its  parts,  and  with  the  fine-edged  flint 
Fit  well  the  bounding  cock,  till  the  bright  sparks 
Descending  fill  the  pan;  precaution  due. 
Next  to  the  kennel  haste,  to  view 
The  spotted  spaniels  lap  their  sav'ry  meal. 
Thence  to  the  couch  invoking  sleep 
Oblivious." 


PARTRIDGE    NETTING 
By    Howitt.     Published   Feb.  21,   1799 


GROUSE   SHOOTING 

By  Howitt.     Published  August.  1798 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters  loi 

"My  spaniels  clam'ring  loud,  awake  the  morn 
With  notes  of  joy  and  leaping  high,  salute 
With  grateful  tongue  my  hand,  and  frisk  around 
In  sportive  circles;  till  the  loaded  gun 
Breaks  off  their  idle  play,  and  at  my  heels 
Submiss  they  follow,  and  await  the  word 
That  bids  them  dash  into  the  welcome  woods.*' 

"Though  silently  we  beat 
At  other  seasons,  let  our  joyful  cheers, 
In  concert  with  the  op'ning  dogs,  resound 
*Hie  in.' — At  that  glad  word  away  they  dart. 
And  winding  various  ways,  with  careful  speed 
Explore  the  cover.     Hark!  that  quest  proclaims 
The  woodcock's  haunt.     Again!  now  joining  all, 
They  shake  the  echoing  wood  with  tuneful  notes. 
I  heard  the  sounding  wing — but  down  the  wood 
He  took  his  flight.     I  meet  him  there  anon. 
As  fast  I  press  to  gain  the  wish'd  for  spot, 
On  either  side  my  busy  spaniels  try. 
At  once  they  wheel — at  once  they  open  loud. 
And  the  next  instant,  flush  the  expectant  bird." 

"arrested  by  the  shot, 
With  shattered  wing  reversed  and  plumage  fair 
Wide  scattering  in  the  wind,  headlong  he  falls. 
See  how  the  joyful  dogs  exulting,  press 
Around  the  prostrate  victim,  nor  presume 
With  lawless  mouths  to  tear  his  tender  skin. 
Obedient  to  my  voice,  one  lightly  brings 
The  lifeless  bird  and  lays  it  at  my  feet." 

Our  final  quotation  will  be  a  short  one  from  the  description  of  duck- 
and  snipe-shooting: 

"Curled  on  their  warm  and  strawy  beds,  repose 
My  dogs,  save  two,  whose  coats  sable  and  white, 
And  speckled  legs,  and  tail  well  fringed  and  ears 
Of  glossy  silken  black,  declare  their  kind 
By  land  or  water,  equally  prepared 
To  work  their  busy  way.     My  steps  alone 
These  follow  in  the  depth  of  Winter's  reign." 

The  sable  and  white  is  not  the  mi  named  sable  of  the  present-day  collies, 
but  black  and  white. 

That  this  poetical  sportsman  was  correct  in  his  thus  setting  aside 


102  The  Dog  Book 

certain  dogs  for  certain  sports  receives  a  very  strong  endorsement  by  that 
eminent  engraver,  S.  Howitt,  whose  illustrations  of  sports  are  recognised 
as  masterpieces.  Very  unfortunately  in  our  copy  of  the  extremely  rare 
volume  of  seventy-tw^o  of  his  engravings  which  form  the  "  British  Sportsman" 
that  of  the  setter  is  one  of  the  two  missing  illustrations,  but  this  is  fully 
atoned  for  by  those  representing  netting  and  the  five  sports  treated  of  in  the 
poem  on  fowling. 

As  further  showing  that  the  term  setter  applied  perhaps  as  much  to  the 
dog  that  set  or  pointed  as  to  the  breed,  we  give  Sydenham  Edwards's  group 
showing  the  setter  as  one  of  the  family  of  spaniels.  The  colours  of  these 
four  spaniels  are:  liver  and  white,  the  one  to  the  left;  black  and  white,  the  one 
lying  down;  lemon  and  white,  the  one  sitting;  but  the  far  one  is  quite  an 
indefinite  colour,  one  that  an  Irish-setter  enthusiast  would  claim  as  repre- 
senting that  breed,  and  possibly  it  may.  It  is  undoubtedly  high  on  the  leg 
and  of  setter  formation  and  is  self-coloured,  neither  liver  nor  lemon,  so  that 
we  are  perfectly  satisfied  to  regard  it  as  an  Irish  setter.  We  have  several 
of  Sydenham  Edwards's  coloured  engravings  and  all  are  exceedingly  faithful 
in  drawing,  so  that  we  can  without  hesitation  accept  anything  he  did  as 
faithfully  representing  the  animals  indicated  by  the  title  of  the  engraving. 
The  date  of  "The  Spaniel"  is  January  i,  1801. 

The  Three  Breeds  of  Setters:    English,  Irish,  and  Gordon 

Four  years  later  Sydenham  Edwards  published  another  engraving 
entitled  "The  Setter,"  in  which  he  very  distinctly  shows  the  English,  Irish, 
and  Gordon  setters  as  shown  herewith.  This  engraving  is  coloured,  as  is 
the  case  of  all  we  have  seen  by  Edwards,  so  that,  although  it  is  not  very 
clearly  indicated  in  the  reproduction,  we  can,  on  the  original,  see  that  the 
farther  black  dog  has  tan  markings  on  the  lips,  the  centre  one  is  red,  with 
white  blaze,  and  the  near  one  is  white.  This  engraving  we  take  to  indicate 
clearly  that  these  were  recognised  as  the  three  varieties  of  the  setter  and 
that  they  were  thoroughly  established  at  that  time,  although  very  little 
evidence  is  forthcoming  in  books  of  the  period. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  Cunningham,  of  Philadelphia,  we  have 
had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  an  exquisite  painting  by  Desportes,  court  painter 
to  Louis  XIV.  Vero  Shaw  in  "The  Book  of  the  Dog"  gives  a  copy  of 
Desportes's  painting  of  "Dogs  and   Partridges,"  showing  three  sparsely 


•■^^  .JX-i^J.  V'lSSjSS^^iii.^  JiJltiiJ^m.^Mit^iaaimiii^lhtSMaM^W^'t^ltS^S^ 


THE    SPANIEL 

By  Syd.  Edwards,  London,  Jan.  i,  1801 


THE   SETTER 

By  Syd.  Edwards,  London,  1805 


Early  Spaniels  and  Setters 


103 


coated  dogs  close  together,  two  setting  and  one  pointing  at  a  covey  of 
partridges.  This  the  editor  took  to  indicate  that  the  pointer  had  been  used 
to  cross  with  the  spaniel,  and  when  he  comes  to  the  pointer  he  takes  Des- 
portes's  picture  of  two  pointers  to  demonstrate  that  the  pointer  and  fox- 
hound had  then  been  crossed.  The  Desportes  painting  we  have  seen  shows 
a  well-built  dog,  all  white  except  lemon  ears.  The  dog  is  caught  just  as  he 
has  dropped  hot  on  the  scent  of  a  pheasant,  but  with  head  up.  This,  Mr. 
Cunningham  assured  us,  is  a  picture  of  the  dog  Blonde,  one  of  a  favourite 
brace  belonging  to  Louis  XIV.,  the  other  being  named  Brunette.  Blonde 
is  in  many  ways  so  dissimilar  to  the  dogs  shown  with  partridges  that  there 
is  no  doubt  it  is  a  likeness.  The  nose  tapers  most  decidedly  to  a  point, 
without  any  depth  of  flew,  and  the  eyes  are  a  gorgeous  yellow,  but  beyond 
these  points  there  is  not  much  to  find  fault  with.  Legs  show  plenty  of  bone 
and  the  body  is  well  filled  out  and  well  coated,  with  plenty  of  feathering  on 
the  tail.  These  paintings  prove  nothing  beyond  what  we  already  know, 
namely,  that  spaniels  of  the  seventeenth  century  were  well  diversified  as  to 
size,  but  were  not  setters  as  we  know  them  to-day — /.  e.  they  were  not  the 
distinct  breed  they  now  are,  but  merely  a  variety  of  the  spaniel. 

It  has  been  a  very  difficult  matter  to  determine  at  what  point  to  break 
off  in  this  general  introduction  to  the  members  of  the  spaniel  family.  Per- 
haps, in  the  estimation  of  some  readers,  we  might  have  left  some  of  the  later 
points  to  be  developed  in  the  articles  on  the  several  breeds,  but  it  seemed  to 
us  that  we  must  trace  clearly  the  development  from  the  earliest  history 
of  the  dog  that  came  from  Spain  to  be  used  in  hawking  and  questing  game, 
until  it  was  so  split  up  as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  what  it  is  and  what  it  came 
from.  This  we  think  we  have  conclusively  done,  and  will  now  proceed  to  a 
consideration  of  the  several  members  of  this  family. 


THE    ENGLISH    SETTER 

From  an  old  print 


CHAPTER  VII 


The  English  Setter 

N  the  preliminary  history  of  the  spaniels  we  expressed  the 
opinion  that  although  the  pointer  had  been  the  recognised 
dog  for  use  with  the  gun  before  the  setter  became  his  rival, 
there  was  no  doubt  that  many  sportsmen  made  use  of 
setters  to  shoot  over,  preferring  that  dog,  even  if  it  was 
hardly  considered  correct,  and  from  these  beginnings  the  dog  speedily 
became  as  prominent  a  gun  dog  as  the  pointer.  We  may  assume  that  this 
growth  of  the  setter  began  about  1775  and  by  1800  was  fully  established, 
and  that  at  the  latter  period  there  were  not  only  the  setters  developed 
from  the  setting  spaniel  by  gentlemen  who  took  pride  in  their  kennels, 
but  plenty  of  half-bred  setters  and  pointers,  droppers  as  they  were  called, 
and  also  that  almost  any  spaniel,  so  long  as  he  was  a  good  working  dog, 
was  used  by  men  who  cared  little  about  good  looks  or  type  and  wanted 
something  useful. 

That  state  of  affairs  is  to  be  found  as  preliminary  to  the  establishment 
of  all  breeds  and  the  meeting  of  rivals  in  competition  for  judgment.  As 
illustrative  of  this  we  need  not  do  more  than  look  at  the  first  volume  of  the 
Stud  Book  issued  in  1879  by  the  National  American  Kennel  Club,  not  the 
present  ruling  body  but  one  more  interested  in  field  trials  than  in  dogs  in 
general.  This  volume  contains  the  registrations  of  fourteen  hundred  dogs, 
of  which  533  are  English  setters  of  pure  breeding;  260  Irish  setters,  also  pure, 
and  135  Gordon  setters;  pointers  number  165,  while  65  spaniels  of  various 
kinds  and  Chesapeake  Bay  dogs  make  up  the  total.  In  this  volume  there 
is  a  division  for  "Cross-bred  and  other  Setters,"  at  the  head  of  which  there 
is  this  note  of  explanation:  "Owing  to  the  indefinite  character  of  some 
pedigrees  it  was  impossible  to  decide  to  what  breed  certain  dogs  belonged. 
They  are  therefore  included  in  the  present  class,  under  the  head  of  'Other 
Setters'  to  save  discarding  them  altogether.  In  this  section  there  are  no 
fewer  than  260  entries.  And  these  were  not  dogs  owned  by  a  lot  of  nobodies, 
but  by  men  of  recognised  position  in  the  sporting-dog  world,  such  names 


io6  The  Dog  Book 

as  Jesse  Sherwood,  James  Smith,  C.  T.  Prince,  G.  C.  Colburn,  A.  C. 
Waddell,  Von  CuHn,  and  Everett  Smith  appearing  on  the  first  two  pages, 
and  as  we  glance  further  we  note  such  leaders'  names  as  Wm.  M.  Tileston, 
Dr.  J.  S.  Niven,  Major  J.  M.  Taylor  (with  a  tricombination  of  English, 
Gordon  and  Irish  bred  by  the  enthusiast  of  the  Laverack  importations, 
Mr.  Charles  H.  Raymond),  Dr.  Aten  of  Brooklyn,  E.  F.  Stoddard  of  Dayton, 
George  B.  Raymond  of  Morris  Plains,  George  Bird  Grinnell,  T.  Foreman 
Taylor,  Edward  Dexter,  Garret  Roach,  H.  C.  Glover,  E.  A.  Spooner,  Wm. 
Tallman,  Leslie  C.  Bruce,  Justus  von  Lengerke,  Isaac  Fiske,  J.  H.  Whitman, 
Jacob  Glahn  of  Syracuse,  and  many  others  better  known  only  to  the  older 
generation  of  setter  men  than  those  we  have  picked  out.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  imagine  any  of  the  above-named  gentlemen,  who  are  still 
living,  owning  anything  nowadays  but  of  the  purest  breeding  possible,  yet 
we  copy  from  the  records  of  but  twenty-five  years  ago." 

With  such  evidence  of  mixed  breeding  in  this  country  when  so  much 
was  known  regarding  the  higher  breeding  of  the  setter  abroad,  and  when 
not  only  some  of  the  choicest  of  the  Laveracks  had  been  here  for  some  four 
or  five  years,  but  Leicester,  Dart,  Rock  and  a  whole  host  of  the  "blue 
bloods"  subsequently  styled  "Llewellyns"  were  spread  about  the  country, 
can  we  imagine  anything  else  of  England  one  hundred  years  ago  than  that 
here  and  there  was  something  akin  to  fancy  breeding,  that  is,  with  an  eye 
to  certain  characteristics,  while  the  majority  indulged  in  cross-breeding 
quite  regardless  of  looks  or  type?  It  stands  to  reason  that  such  was  the  case, 
and  it  is  therefore  only  what  is  to  be  expected  when  we  come  to  read  the 
only  book  which  is  really  historical,  "The  Setter,  by  Edward  Laverack." 
His  knowledge  of  the  Setter  dated  from  early  in  the  last  century,  for  he  went 
shooting  in  the  Highlands  when  he  was  eighteen  and  in  his  introduction  he 
acknowledges  to  being  seventy-three  years  of  age,  while  the  date  of  the 
book  is  1872,  hence  he  must  have  had  personal  knowledge  of  setters  from 
about  18 15,  and  his  statements  are  exactly  in  keeping  with  this  very  natural 
conclusion  of  what  must  have  been  the  case. 

It  is  only  proper,  however,  to  take  authors  a  little  more  chronologically, 
and  we  will  begin  with  Daniels's  "  Rural  Sports,"  published  at  the  beginning 
of  the  nineteenth  century.  From  the  references  to  this  book  in  later  publica- 
tions one  would  infer  that  it  contained  a  most  valuable  contribution  to  dog 
history,  but  such  is  far  from  being  the  case,  and  what  he  says  is  without 
.practical  value.     What   is   valuable,   however,   is  that  it  contains  three 


f,A^^e»//i' 


THE    GAMEKEEPER 

liy  Stubbs.  in  Daniels  "  Rural  Sports,"  i8 


THE    ENGLISH    SETTER 
By  Reinagle,  in  Scott's  "Spottsm.in's  Repository,"  1820 


The   English   Setter  107 

engravings  from  paintings  of  setters  by  different  artists.  The  one  by 
Reinagle  shows  a  beautiful  dog,  much  handsomer  and  of  a  great  deal 
more  quality  than  the  same  artist's  setter  in  the  "Sportman's  Reposi- 
tory," of  twenty-five  years  later.  The  very  extraordinary  setter  ac- 
companying the  game-keeper  is  a  painting  by  G.  Stubbs,  a  very  famous 
animal  artist. 

We  now  take  up  the  actual  history  of  the  making  of  the  English  setter, 
and  we  are  not  only  indebted  for  all  pertinent  information  on  the  subject  to 
the  late  Edward  Laverack,  but  above  that  we  are  most  unquestionably  in- 
debted to  him  for  placing  the  setter  in  its  proper  position  as  a  field  dog  and 
for  the  development  of  the  type  which  was  not  only  the  standard  of  excel- 
lence in  his  day,  but  that  upon  which  we  have  built  the  present-day  setter. 
For  some  peculiar  reason  it  has  been  the  custom  of  a  certain  class  of  writers 
to  belittle  Mr.  Laverack  and  what  he  accomplished,  alleging  that  the  incon- 
sistencies in  his  statements  regarding  the  pedigrees  of  his  dogs  and  some 
such  small  matters  condemned  the  whole  business.  If  Mr.  Laverack  had 
never  given  a  single  pedigree  with  any  of  his  dogs,  and  had  never  told  any 
person  how  they  were  bred,  they  would  have  been  just  as  good  workers, 
just  as  good  looking  and  in  every  way  as  useful  in  building  up  the  breed. 
As  a  strain  they  were  unequalled  in  their  day,  and  but  for  them  Americans 
would  have  had  poor  material  in  the  way  of  importations  with  which  to 
improve  the  natives  of  inter-variety  breeding.  Strangest  of  all,  most  of  those 
who  attacked  Mr.  Laverack  and  his  dogs  were  thick-and-thin  supporters 
of  what  has  been  named  the  "Llewellyn"  setter,  a  strain  made  up  from 
dogs  bought,  not  bred,  by  Mr.  Purcell  Llewellyn,  one-half  of  the  desired 
pedigree  being  Laverack  blood.  On  this  subject  we  will  have  more  to  say 
later. 

But  for  Mr.  Laverack  we  should  know  nothing  of  the  various  strains 
kept  by  sporting  gentlemen  of  prominence  throughout  England  and  Scot- 
land, and  in  his  book,  "The  Setter,"  is  to  be  found  all  that  later  writers 
knew  about  the  various  strains  and  which  they  made  use  of  without  com- 
punction as  original.  Mr.  Laverack's  book  is  now  exceedingly  scarce, 
almost,  if  not  quite,  as  hard  to  secure  as  the  first  edition  of  "Stonehenge," 
which  many  have  thought  did  not  exist.  As  Mr.  Laverack's  text  is  con- 
densed it  may  be  copied  in  full,  so  far  as  reference  is  made  to  the  leading 
varieties  of  the  English  setter  from  the  time  his  knowledge  of  them  began, 
which  we  may  set  down  as  1815-20. 


io8  The  Dog  Book 

Naworth  Castle  or  Featherstone  Castle  Setters 

The  first  he  mentions  is  the  Naworth  Castle  or  Featherstone  Castle 
setters:  "There  is  a  very  fine  old  breed  of  setters,  at  present  but  little 
known.  It  has  been,  and  still  is,  in  the  possession  of  the  Earl  of  Carlisle, 
Naworth  Castle,  Brampton,  Cumberland;  Lord  Wallace,  Featherstone 
Castle,  Cumberland,  and  Major  Cowan,  of  Blaydon  Burn,  Northumberland, 
so  well  known  as  tn#  bloodhound  authority. 

"This  breed  of  setters  I  remember  fifty  years  ago,  when  I  rented  the 
moors  belonging  to  the  Earl  of  Carlisle,  in  the  vicinity  of  Gillesland.  This 
moor  was  commonly  called  Wastes,  a  description  of  which  is  so  graphically 
given  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  *Guy  Mannering.* 

"This  rare  old  breed  has  probably  been  retained  in  the  above  families 
as  long  as  any  other  strain  has. 

"  The  Featherstone  Castle  breed  has  been  looked  after  by  three  genera- 
tions of  Prouds,  Edward  Proud  (now  pensioned  off)  and  sons. 

"Those  at  Naworth  Castle,  by  Grisdale,  who  has  been  there  for  forty 
years  or  more,  but  now  a  pensioner.  How  long  the  breed  may  have  been  in 
the  family  of  Major  Cowan,  and  others  in  Northumberland  and  Cumberland 
I  cannot  say. 

"The  distinguishing  colour  is  liver  and  white,  they  are  very  powerful 
in  the  chest,  deep  and  broad,  not  narrow  or  slaty,  which  some  people  seem 
to  think  is  the  true  formation  of  the  setter. 

"If  there  is  any  fault  to  find  with  them  it  is  their  size;  they  are  a  little 
too  big  and  heavy. 

"  There  is  a  great  profusion  of  coat,  of  a  light,  soft  silky  hair  on  the  crest 
of  the  head,  which  is  rather  longer  and  heavier  than  the  generality  of  setters. 
They  are  particularly  strong  and  powerful  in  their  fore  quarters,  beautifully 
feathered  on  their  fore  legs,  tail  and  breeches,  easily  broken,  very  lofty  in 
their  carriage,  staunch,  excellent  dogs  and  good  finders.  Though  liver,  or 
liver  and  white  is  not  a  recognised  colour  in  shows,  my  belief  is  that  there 
are  as  good  dogs  of  this  colour  as  of  any  other. 

"  The  Featherstone  Castle  breed  was  brought  into  notoriety  by  the  late 
keeper,  Edward  Proud,  and  so  much  were  they  appreciated  by  shooting  men 
that  they  went  all  over  the  country,  and  even  to  Ireland.  This  was  more 
than  half  a  century  ago. 


THE    SETTER 

Hy  Reinagle  in  Daniels'  "  Rural  Sports,"  18 


'-  ''liiv.^af g-^?^^>'^^J^^^^^^*^ 


THE  OLD  ENGLISH  SETTER 
From    Daniels'  "  Rural  Sports,"   1802 


The  English  Setter  109 

Edmond    Castle    Setters 

"There  is  also  another  celebrated  breed  at  Edmond  Castle,  near 
Carlisle,  Cumberland.  This  likewise  is  liver  and  white,  without  the  tuft. 
These  dogs  are  much  lighter  and  more  speedy  looking  than  the  tufted  ones. 
They  are  very  deep,  wide  and  powerful  in  the  forequarters;  well  bent  in  the 
stifles,  so  much  so  as  to  give  them  a  cat-like  crouching  attitude. 

"Laidlaw  was  the  keeper's  name  who  had  charge  of  them.  These 
setters  were  noted  all  over  the  country  for  being  first  class  and  very  enduring. 

"The  late  Mr.  Heythorn,  of  Melmerby  Hall,  near  Penrith,  had  this 
breed  when  he  shot  with  me — at  which  time  I  had  the  shooting  at  Pitmain, 
Kingussie,   Inverness-shire — and   first-rate   dogs  they  were. 

"Mr.  Garth's  Bess,  a  winner  at  the  Shrewsbury  trials,  was  from  this 
kennel." 

How  far  the  following  strains,  which  Mr.  Laverack  refers  to,  resembled 
what  we  call  black,  white  and  tan,  or  how  nearly  they  favoured  Gordons 
with  white  markings,  we  have  no  means  of  stating,  but  are  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  they  were  distinct  from  the  latter,  for  the  reason  that  Mr. 
Laverack  put  them  in  one  chapter,  devoting  the  following  chapter  to  the 
Gordon,  or  black  and  tan  alone,  then  a  chapter  to  his  own  breed,  finishing 
with  another  devoted  to  the  Irish  setter.  This  seems  conclusive  evidence 
that  he  did  not  consider  them  allied  to  the  Gordons,  but  as  varieties  of  the 
general  run  of  setters. 

Lord  Lovat's  Breed 

Lord  Lovat's  breed  is  named  as  a  black,  white  and  tan:  "Another 
celebrated,  tested  and  well-known  breed  has  long  been  in  the  possession  of 
the  evergreen  veteran  sportsman.  Lord  Lovat,  Beaufort  Castle,  Beauly, 
Inverness-shire.  This  strain  is  black,  white  and  tan.  His  Lordship  shot  long 
with  Alexander,  the  late  Duke  of  Gordon,  and  he  informed  me  that  his 
Grace  had  black  and  tans,  and  black,  white  and  tans,  but  preferred  the 
latter. 

"A  celebrated  dog  of  Lord  Lovat's  black,  white  and  tan  named  Regent 
was  well  known  in  Ross-shire  and  Inverness-shire.  Old  Bruce,  his  Lordship's 
keeper,  told  me  this  dog  would  never  be  beaten.  Numbers  of  this  strain 
and  colour  were  in  Lord  Lovat's  kennels  when  I  last  saw  them.  They  have 
long  been  valued  by  many  sportsmen  for  their  excellence  and  beauty. 


no  The  Dog  Book 

"  I  think  I  am  correct  in  stating  that  this  breed  has  never  been  exhibited 
at  dog  shows.  They  are  very  handsome,  good,  possessed  of  great  powers  of 
endurance;  kept  for  utility  and  not  for  show. 

The  Southesk 

"There  is  also  another  breed  called  the  Southesk,  belonging  to  the 
Earl  of  Southesk,  in  Forfarshire,  black,  white  and  tan.  These  dogs  are  very 
strong,  fine  animals,  large  in  size  and  extremely  well  feathered,  round  bar- 
relled, powerful,  and  strong  in  their  forequarters. 

"  If  any  defect  in  their  formation,  they  are  apt  to  be  somewhat  slack  in 
the  loins  and  too  long  in  the  leg;  notwithstanding  this,  they  are  well  known 
to  be  good  and  staunch  dogs,  and  highly  appreciated. 

"The  breed  was  well  known  to  me  when  I  rented  the  forest  of  Birse, 
adjoining  the  Glen  of  Dye,  the  property  of  Sir  James  Carnegie,  now  the 
Earl  of  Southesk." 

Strains  of  the  Earl  of  Seafield 

The  Earl  of  Seafield  had  tricolours  and  also  lemon  or  orange  and 
whites.  "This  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  strains  I  have  ever  seen;  there 
are  few  better  than  that  of  the  Earl  of  Seafield  of  Balmacaan,  Urquhart 
Castle,  Inverness-shire.  Perhaps  there  is  no  breed  of  setters  possessed  of  a 
greater  profusion  of  coat.  I  should  say,  save  Russians;  they  had  more  coat 
of  a  glossy,  silky  texture,  and  more  feather  than  any  other  strain  of  setters 
I  have  ever  seen.  Sheriff  Tytler,  of  Aldoury,  near  Inverness,  also  had  or  has 
some  of  the  same  breed,  as  well  as  the  late  General  Porter  of  Inchnacardoch, 
near  Fort  Augustus,  and  several  others  in  that  district. 

"I  had  many  opportunities  of  seeing  this  pure  and  beautiful  breed 
when  I  rented  the  Dunmaglass  shootings  and  Boleskin  Cottage  on  the 
banks  of  Loch  Ness,  Inverness.  The  formation  of  these  dogs  is  as  follows : 
Head  rather  short  and  light,  full  hazel  eyes,  ears  well  set  on,  of  a  soft,  silky 
texture.  They  are  similar  to  Toy  Spaniels  on  a  large  scale,  and  covered 
with  long  floss  like  silky  hair  on  body,  and  forelegs,  flag,  and  breech;  medium 
sized;  good  hunters;  good  dispositions  and  easily  broken.  The  objection- 
able points  are  their  peculiarly  upright  shoulders,  straight  hindquarters 
and  sparseness  of  body,  which  makes  them  go  short  and  stilty." 


The  English  Setter  in 

Breed  of  the  Earl  of  Derby  and  Lord  Ossulston 

"The  late  Earl  of  Derby  and  Lord  Ossulston,  when  shooting  at  Coul- 
nakyle,  in  Strathspey,  Inverness-shire,  had  a  beautiful  breed  of  lemon  and 
white  setters,  obtained,  I  believe,  from  Lord  Anson.  This  breed  in  forma- 
tion was  very  similar  to  my  own  lemon  and  white;  they  were  very  powerful  in 
the  fore-quarters  and  remarkably  handsome." 

Lord  Ossulston's  Black  Setters 

We  now  return  to  the  Border  sportsmen  for  particulars  regarding 
black  setters:  "Another  breed  of  rare  excellence,  and  greatly  appreciated 
by  practical  sportsmen  was  that  of  Lord  Ossulston,  Chillingham  Castle, 
Wooler,  Northumberland.  These  were  jet  black,  with  beautiful  bright, 
soft,  glossy  coats — a  colour  that  our  fastidious  judges  of  the  present  day 
would  probably  ignore  and  not  even  notice,  however  handsome  they  might 
be,  as  not  being  fashionable.  It  was  certainly  one  of  the  best,  most  useful 
and  beautiful  strains  I  ever  saw,  and  for  downright  hard  work  could  not  be 
surpassed.  I  have,  too,  seen  an  excellent  breed  of  light  fawns,  also  a  self- 
liver  coloured  one.     Both  these  strains  are  first  rate. 

Breeds  of  Lord  Hume,  Wilson  Patten  and  Henry  Rothwell 

"Lord  Hume,  of  Tweedside;  Wilson  Patten,  Lancashire;  and  the  late 
Henry  Rothwell  (that  celebrated  old  sportsman  of  hunting  notoriety,  who 
resided  near  Kendal,  Westmoreland)  had  also  a  similar  breed  of  blacks, 
well  known,  and  eagerly  sought  after  in  those  days  by  all  the  leading  sports- 
men in  that  country. 

"Lord  Hume's  strain  was  famous  all  through  that  district  and  the 
Lammermuir  Hills,  for  their  acknowledged  good  properties,  stoutness  and 
powers  of  endurance.  The  last  of  this  beautiful  breed,  so  far  as  Harry 
Rothwell  was  concerned,  was  a  dog  named  Paris,  in  the  possession  of  his 
nephew,  Robert  Thompson,  Esq.,  Inglewood  Bank,  near  Penrith,  North- 
umberland, and  who  shot  with  me  for  several  years  on  the  Forse  shootings, 
Caithness,  which  I  rented.  It  is  a  fact  that  this  dog,  a  medium-sized  one, 
ran  almost  every  day  for  six  weeks  and  he  was,  when  required,  as  good  a 
retriever  as  I  ever  saw.  Mr.  Ellis,  the  Court  Lodge,  near  Yalding,  Kent, 
who  shot  with  us  can  testify  to  the  truth  of  this  statement. 


112  The  Dog  Book 

"Wilson  Patten's  breed,  similar  to  the  above,  were  very  good,  and 
noted  for  their  hardy  constitutions  and  innate  love  of  hard  work. 

"The  colour  of  Lord  Hume's  and  the  other  of  the  named  gentlemen's 
breeds  was  a  most  beautiful  jet  black,  as  bright  and  brilliant  as  the  blackest 
satin.  Long,  low  dogs,  with  light  heads,  very  strong  and  powerful  in  the 
forehand;  well-bent,  ragged,  cat-like  hind  quarters,  capital  feet,  hare 
footed,  but  not  too  much  arched  at  the  toe.  They  had  not  a  great  profusion 
of  coat,  but  what  there  was,  was  of  a  first  rate  quality,  and  particularly 
silky. 

"These  dogs  were  exceedingly  close  and  compact  in  their  build,  and 
noted  all  through  the  country  for  their  endurance;  they  were  good  rangers 
and  very  staunch." 

Mr.  Lort's  Setters 

Of  Mr.  Lort's  setters  Mr.  Laverack  does  not  speak  from  personal 
knowledge,  but  from  information  he  believed  that  there  were  none  better. 
In  colour  they  were  black  and  white,  and  lemon  and  white;  long,  silky  coats; 
hardy,  enduring  and  good  rangers.  Mr.  Laverack  expressed  his  regret 
that  owing  to  Mr.  Lort's  judging  so  constantly  at  shows,  he  seldom  ex- 
hibitedy  and  his  setters  were  not  known  as  they  should  have  been. 

The  Welsh  or  Llanidloes  Setter 

Finally  we  have  references  to  the  Welsh  setters,  of  which  the  Llanidloes 
strain  was  then  dying  out.  A  close,  compact  animal,  very  handsome;  milk- 
white  or  chalk-white,  as  it  was  called  in  Wales,  and  the  coats  not  so  soft  and 
silky  as  the  other  breeds  named.  Another  black  strain  is  mentioned  as 
equally  good,  hardy  and  enduring.  "  In  their  own  country  they  cannot  be 
beaten,  being  exactly  what  is  required  for  the  steep  hill  sides."  It  will  be 
well  to  supplement  with  the  late  Mr.  Lort's  description  in  the  "  Book  of 
the  Dog"  this  scanty  reference  to  the  Welsh  setters. 

"The  coat  of  the  Welsh  or  Llanidloes  setter,  or  at  all  events  of  pure 
bred  ones,  is  as  curly  as  the  jacket  of  a  Cotswold  sheep,  and  not  only  is  it 
curly,  but  it  is  hard  in  texture  and  as  unlike  that  of  a  modern  fashionable 
setter  as  it  is  possible  to  imagine.  The  colour  is  usually  white,  with  occa- 
sionally a  lemon  coloured  patch  or  two  about  the  head  and  ears.     Many, 


MR.    EDWARD    LAVERACK'S    ENGLISH    SETTER,    FRED    IV,    BY    DASH    OUT   OF    MOLL 
Drawn  when  15  months  of  age 


MR.    EDWARD    LAVERACK*S    "OLD    BLUE"    DASH,    BY    STING    OUT   OF    CORA 
Drawn  when  10  years  of  a^re 


The  English  Setter  113 

however,  are  pure  white,  and  it  is  not  unusual  to  find  several  whelps  in  every 
litter  possessed  of  one  or  two  pearl  eyes.  Their  heads  are  longer  in  pro- 
portion to  their  size,  and  not  so  refined  looking  as  those  of  the  English  setter. 
Sterns  are  curly  and  clubbed;  with  no  fringe  to  them,  and  the  tail  swells 
out  in  shape  something  like  an  otter's.  This  breed  is  more  useful  than  any 
spaniel,  for  it  is  smart,  handy,  with  an  excellent  nose  and  can  find  with 
tolerable  certainty  at  the  moderate  pace  it  goes.  It  usually  has  the  habit  of 
beating  close  to  you,  and  is  not  too  fast,  being  particularly  clever  with  cocks 
and  snipe,  which  they  are  no  more  likely  to  miss  than  is  a  spaniel." 

The  Laveracks  and  Their  Breeding 

It  is  very  unfortunate  that  Mr.  Laverack  confines  his  comments  on 
his  own  strain  to  a  mere  description  of  their  general  appearance,  or  what 
he  aimed  at  in  his  breeding,  and  gives  us  no  details  as  how  he  started  the 
strain  or  how  he  progressed.  He  illustrates  his  book  with  likenesses  of 
Old  Blue  Dash,  Dash  II.,  and  Fred.  IV.  It  is  very  tantalizing  after 
reading  about  the  other  strains  to  find  nothing  about  the  one  we  desire 
most  of  all  to  learn  how  it  was  built  up.  What  we  do  know  on  this  score 
is  that  in  1825  ^^  obtained  from  the  Reverend  A.  Harrison,  who  resided  near 
Carlisle,  two  setters,  Ponto  and  Old  Moll,  and  to  these  two  dogs  alone  he 
traced  back  the  Laverack  setters.  Mr.  Harrison  had  kept  his  strain  for 
thirty-five  years  and  carefully  guarded  their  breeding  all  that  time,  so  that 
accepting  the  pedigrees  of  the  Laveracks  of  1870-80  as  correct,  the  breed 
was  in  existence  for  nigh  upon  one  hundred  years.  Mr.  Laverack  mentions 
Mr.  Harrison  but  once,  when,  in  naming  the  three  most  perfect  setters  he 
had  ever  seen,  he  selected  Lord  Lovat's  black,  white  and  tan  dog  Regent, 
General  Wyndham's  Irish  setter,  not  named,  and  Rev.  A.  Harrison's  Old 
Moll. 

It  has  been  claimed  that  this  tracing  back  to  these  two  dogs  alone  is 
fundamentally  wrong  and  that  Mr.  Laverack  brought  outside  blood  into 
his  strain,  and  as  evidence  of  this  there  is  a  letter  he  wrote  his  friend  Roth- 
well  regarding  a  puppy  that  was  liver  and  white  saying:  "The  liver  and 
white  will  be  quite  as  handsome  and  good  as  any  of  the  five  in  the  litter.  He 
strains  back  to  Prince's  sire,  viz..  Pride  of  the  Border,  a  liver  and  white. 
He  strains  back  for  thirty  years  to  a  change  of  blood  I  once  introduced — the 
pure  old  Edward  Castle  breed — County  Cumberland  liver  and  white,  quite 


114  The  Dog  Book 

as  pure  and  as  good  as  the  blues.     Pride's  dam  was  my  old  blue  and  white, 
with  tan  cheeks  and  eyebrows.     Why  I  reserved  Pride  was  to  breed  back 
with  him  and  my  blues.     He  is  invaluable  as  by  him  I  can  carry  on  the 
breed."     This  was  written  in  May,  1874,  two  years  later  than  the  book 
was  published,  and  of  course  is  a  contradiction  of  the  pedigree  he  gave  with 
that  dog  and  every  other  by  Dash  II.  out  of  Belle  II.,  and  indeed  of  all  his 
pedigrees,  for  if  one  goes  they  all  go,  so  similar  are  they  in  the  interbreeding 
of  the  descendants  of  these  two  original  dogs  he  started  with.     So  on  this 
allegation  those  opposed  to  the  Laveracks  attacked  the  whole  structure, 
root  and  branch.     But  what  was  there  in  that  after  all  ?     Did  the  excel- 
lence of  the  Laveracks  depend  upon  whether  or  not  all  Mr.  Laverack's  self- 
acknowledged  tests  to  improve  his  strain  were  subsequently,  as  he  said  else- 
where, thrown  out,  or  whether  some  mixture  of  some  excellent  blood  still 
remained,  or  did  their  claims  rest  upon  what  they  were  individually  ?  Were 
they  not  the  outcome  of  fifty  years  of  his  own  breeding  with  a  well-defined 
object  in  view  .?     These  are  the  points  at  issue  and  nothing  else,  except 
with  that  class  of  breeders  who  select  a  sire  from  the  stud-book  record  of 
pedigrees — and  never  breed  anything  good  for  either  show  or  field  trials. 
We  are  far  from  supporting  the  published  Laverack  pedigrees — quite 
the  reverse,  in  fact,  for  it  is  simply  impossible  that  that  of  Countess  is  correct. 
If  that  one  falls,  they  all  go,  at  least  all  with  any  such  cross  as  Dash  II. — or 
Old  Blue  Dash  as  he  was  generally  called — or  that  of  Fred  I.     Usually  the 
Laverack  pedigrees  are  attacked  upon  two  grounds,  the  presumed  impossi- 
bility for  any  strain  to  have  its  origin  in  but  one  brace  of  dogs  and  to  inter- 
breed their  progeny  successfully  for  fifty  years.     The  other  claim  is  that 
as  Mr.  Laverack  tried  some  outcrosses  and  never  gave  a  pedigree  with  such 
a  cross  in  it,  coupled  with  the  statement  with  regard  to  the  liver  colour  in 
Pride  of  the  Border,  he  did  not  give  correct  pedigrees.     There  is  no  founda- 
tion for  the  first  assumption  as  it  would  be  quite  possible  to  continue  the 
interbreeding  of  descendants  from  one  brace  of  dogs,  exercising  care  to 
breed  only  from  the  physically  sound  ones.     With  regard  to  the  second 
claim  we  will  say,  presuming  that  nothing  further  can  be  adduced  against 
the  given  pedigrees,  that  a  person  writing  an  offhand  reply  to  an  intimate 
friend  would  hardly  exercise  the  care  nor  make  the  necessary  references  he 
would  if  writing  out  a  pedigree  for  publication.     We  would  not  take  the 
Rothwell  letter  as  conclusive  against  the  testimony  of  the  pedigree  if  the 
latter  bore  investigation,  and  that  leads  us  to  a  line  of  discussion  which  we 


MR.   C.    H.   RAYMOND  S   CHAMPION   PRIDE   OF  THE   BORDER 
A  leader  in  the  early  Laverack  importations 


LEICESTER  Photo  by  Schreibtr 

One  of  the  earliest  importations  from  Mr.  Purcell-Llewellyn's  kennels  by  Mr.  L.  H.  Smith,  of  Strathroy.  Canada 


The  English  Setter  115 

have  not  hitherto  seen  exploited,  though  it  may  possibly  have  been  without 
our  knowledge. 

Mr.  Laverack  obtained  Ponto  and  Old  Moll  from  the  Rev  A.  Har- 
rison in  1825.  Judging  from  Mr.  Laverack's  naming  Old  Moll,  coupled 
with  the  name  of  Mr.  Harrison,  as  one  of  the  best  three  setters  he  had 
known,  it  would  seem  fair  to  assume  that  he  did  not  get  her  as  a  puppy, 
but  probably  obtained  both  as  developed  shooting  dogs,  having  possibly 
no  thought  of  what  he  subsequently  went  in  for  in  breeding.  We  will  there- 
fore set  the  date  of  their  birth  at  1823.  The  peculiarity  in  the  pedigree  of 
Countess  is  not  really  so  much  that  all  lines  trace  back  to  the  original  brace, 
but  that  the  links  are  so  few  and  each  brace  named  has  but  two  descendants, 
with  but  two  exceptions  of  one  additional  each.  Boiled  down  in  this  man- 
ner here  is  the  pedigree  of  Countess: 

Main  stem.     Spurs — see  below. 

(1823)   Ponto— Old   Moll. 
^Dash  I.— Belle  I. 

Pilot— ^MoU  n.     -^Cora  I. 

Regent — Jet   I.     ''Rock. 

Rock  n. — Blairs  Cora. 
^Sting  —  ^Belle   H. 

sire  of  dam  of 

(1862)  Dash  n.     Moll  HI. 


Countess  (1869) 
Spurs  to  the  main  line: 

'Dash  I.  ^Moll  n.  (.?i836) 

'Rock  Peg 

Rock   I. 


^Belle  n.  Fred  I.  (1853)  ^Cora  I.  ( .?  1836) 

V , 'V ^ , 

Moll  HI.  Cora  n.  "^Stina. 


Y- 


Dash  n.  (1862) 

^ / 

Countess  (1869) 


ii6  The  Dog  Book 

Referring  to  the  main  stem  table,  we  have  six  generations  from  Ponto 
to  Dash  IL,  a  period  of  thirty-nine  years,  or  an  average  of  six  and  a  half 
years  to  a  generation.  According  to  that  supposition  Moll  II.  and  Cora  I. 
were  whelped  about  1836.  Turning  to  the  table  of  spurs,  we  have  Fred  I. 
recorded  as  whelped  in  1853,  by  which  time  his  dam,  Moll  II.  was,  accord- 
ing to  the  foregoing  computation,  seventeen  years  old.  We  next  come  to  a 
veritable  Sarah  in  brood  bitches,  the  venerable  Cora  I.  a  full  sister,  possibly 
a  litter  sister  to  Moll  II. ,  and  find  that  she  was  bred  to  this  nephew  of  hers, 
Fred  I.,  about  1857,  and  when  about  twenty-one  years  of  age,  she  produced 
Cora  II.,  dam  of  Dash  II.  who  was  whelped  1862.  If  any  person  desires 
to  believe  these  things  possible  we  have  no  objection,  but  we  do  object  to 
any  one  thinking  to  overthrow  the  name  of  Laverack  or  disparage  the  great 
benefit  he  was  to  the  breed  because  his  pedigrees  will  not  scan.  What  difi^er- 
ence  did  it  make  if  Mr  Laverack  had  simply  stated  that  he  had  bred  his 
setters  from  1825,  starting  with  a  brace  he  had  obtained  from  the  Rev.  A. 
Harrison,  and  interbred  their  progeny,  that  he  had  at  various  times  tried 
outcrosses  with  reputable  strains,  but  had  never  had  satisfactory  results 
and  had  come  back  to  his  old  line  again  as  closely  as  possible.  The  dogs 
would  have  been  just  as  good  individually,  Countess  would  still  have  been 
the  wonder  she  was,  and  there  would  have  been  no  difference  in  the  results 
of  the  Dan  cross  on  the  Laverack  bitches,  nor  of  the  Laverack  dogs 
on  Dan*s  sisters.  Mr.  Laverack's  setters  were  good  because  he  had 
all  the  time  been  intent  on  their  improvement,  not  because  he  gave 
with  them  a  string  of  names  in  various  order  back  to  Old  Moll  and  her 
consort  Ponto. 

It  has  been  said  that  Mr.  Laverack  only  bred  to  supply  his  own  wants 
for  shooting  dogs,  and  then  only  when  his  brace  in  use  were  getting  old  did 
he  rear  a  litter,  pick  out  a  new  brace  and  repeat  the  operation.  The  known 
facts  do  not  support  this  supposition,  for  he  writes  about  many  gentleman 
having  his  strain  of  setters,  and  from  the  amount  of  shooting  he  did  he  must 
have  had  a  fairly  well-filled  kennel  from  which  to  draw  his  supply.  Writing 
to  his  friend  Rothwell,  when  he  was  an  old  man,  November,  1874,  he  tells 
of  having  lost  three  puppies  Rothwell  had  sent  him,  also  six  more  and  two 
brood  bitches,  eighteen  months  old,  for  which  he  had  refused  fifty  guineas 
each,  besides  four  more  young  dogs.  Again  in  the  first  volume  of  the 
English  stud  book  we  find  seven  setters  registered  in  his  name,  fifteen  dogs 
bred  by  him  registered  as  the  property  of  others,  and  about  twice  as  many 


MR.    PURCELL-LLEWELLYN'S    COUNTESS 

From  Stonehenge's  "  Dogs  of  the  British  Islands  " 


MR.   J.  H.   SHORTHOSE'S  NOVEL 

From  "  The  Book  of  the  Dog  " 


The  English  Setter  117 

more  bred  from  his  dogs  by  other  persons.  It  must  also  be  understood  that 
it  never  has  been  the  custom  to  register  dogs  so  freely  in  England  as  we  do 
in  this  country,  but  it  is  left  to  the  kennel  club  to  enter  free  of  charge  all 
winners  at  field  trials  or  at  dog  shows  held  under  certain  rules  of  the  club. 
Hence  Mr.  Laverack's  registered  dogs  were  winners,  and  not  one  of  his 
breeding  stock  was  registered,  as  is  the  custom  with  us.  Neither  can  we 
admit  that  his  stud  dogs  were  for  the  free  use  of  every  friend  who  wanted  to 
breed  to  one  of  them.  We  do  not  say  that  he  went  into  the  business  of 
breeding  and  selling  to  the  extent  that  Mr.  Llewellyn  subsequently  did,  but 
there  was  no  restriction  of  his  operations  merely  for  his  own  use.  What 
improvement  could  a  man  possibly  make  by  breeding  a  litter  every  six  or 
seven  years  for  fifty  years  .?  A  breeder  seeking  to  improve  and  build  up  a 
strain  must  have  a  surplus  of  stock  for  selection  and  only  breed  on  from  the 
best,  so  that  we  are  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  Mr.  Laverack  used  a  good 
many  intermediate  crosses  not  tabulated  in  his  pedigrees,  and  felt  his  way 
along  until  he  had  his  strain  well  established  and  universally  acknowledged 
as  of  great  merit. 

Shortly  after  Mr.  Laverack's  book  appeared,  the  talented  editor  of  the 
London  Field,  the  late  Dr.  J.  H.  Walsh,  whose  nom  de  plume  of  "Stone- 
henge"  had  world-wide  fame,  undertook  a  fourth  edition  of  his  "Dogs  of 
the  British  Islands,"  and  in  this  edition  he  personally  wrote  the  sections  on 
the  setters,  which  were  vast  improvements  on  what  appeared  in  prior 
editions  written  by  contributors.  This  edition  appeared  in  1877  and 
covers  the  flush  times  of  the  Laveracks  and  the  start  of  the  "Llewellyns." 
Dr.  Walsh  knew  greyhounds,  setters  and  pointers  better  than  he  knew  any- 
thing in  the  sporting  world  and,  whenever  he  could,  attended  the  field  trials, 
and  kept  thoroughly  in  touch  with  what  was  going  on.  What  he  wrote  is 
therefore  "  hot  from  the  grid "  compared  with  the  fading  recollections  we 
have  of  what  took  place  in  England  from  1876  to  1880.  During  the  greater 
part  of  that  period  we  contributed  to  the  Field,  knew  Dr.  Walsh  personally 
and  brought  back  to  America  an  autograph  letter  accrediting  us  as  his 
paper's  representative  at  the  New  York  dog  show  in  1880.  This  letter  was 
immediately  begged  by  Mr.  Tileston,  the  Westminster  Kennel  Club's 
secretary,  who,  poor  fellow,  was  killed  the  week  prior  to  the  date  set 
for  the  show  by  the  fall  of  the  west  wall  of  the  old  Madison  Square 
Garden  structure. 


ii8  The  Dog  Book 

Stonehenge  on  Laveracks  and  Llewellyns 

The  opening  paragraph  of  Stonehenge  is  as  follows:  "Since  the 
pubHcation  of  the  articles  on  the  various  breeds  of  dogs  in  The  Fields  during 
the  years  1856-57,  the  strain  of  setters  known  by  the  name  of  Laverack, 
from  the  gentleman  who  bred  them,  has  carried  all  before  it,  both  on  the 
show  bench  and  in  the  public  field  trials  which  have  been  held  annually. 
For  this  high  character  it  is  greatly  indebted  to  the  celebrated  Countess, 
who  was  certainly  an  extraordinary  animal,  both  in  appearance  and  at 
work;  for,  until  she  came  out  the  only  Laverack  which  had  shone  to  advan- 
tage was  Sir  R.  Garth's  Daisy,  a  good  average  bitch.  Though  small. 
Countess  was  possessed  of  extraordinary  pace,  not  perhaps  equal  to  that 
of  the  still  more  celebrated  pointer  Drake,  but  approaching  so  closely  to  it 
that  his  superiority  would  be  disputed  by  many  of  her  admirers.  Though 
on  short  legs,  her  frame  is  full  of  elegance,  and  her  combined  head  and  neck 
are  absolutely  perfect.  With  her  high  pace  she  combined  great  powers  of 
endurance,  and  her  chief  fault  was  that  she  could  never  be  fully  depended 
upon;  for  when  fresh  enough  to  display  her  speed  and  style  to  the  full,  she 
would  break  away  from  her  master  and  defy  his  whistle  until  she  had  taken 
her  fling  over  a  thousand  acres  or  so.  .  .  .  On  a  good  scenting  day  it 
was  a  great  treat  to  see  her  at  work,  but,  like  most  fast  gallopers,  she  would 
sometimes  flush  her  game  on  a  bad  scenting  day,  and  then  she  would  be 
wild  with  shame.  Nellie  (her  sister)  was  of  the  same  size,  but  not  so  fast, 
nor  so  ekgant,  still  she  was  good  enough  to  beat  the  crack  on  one  occasion 
at  Vaynol  in  1872,  but  on  most  days  she  would  have  stood  no  chance  with 
Countess.  She  served  to  show  that  Countess  was  not  wholly  exceptional, 
as  was  alleged  by  the  detractors  of  the  Laveracks;  and  these  two  bitches, 
together  with  Sir  R.  Garth's  Daisy,  may  fairly  be  adduced  as  indicating 
that  at  all  events  the  Laverack  bitches  are  quite  first  class.  No  dog,  how- 
ever, has  put  in  an  appearance  at  any  field  trials  with  any  pretension  to  high 
form,  but  several  winners  have  appeared  half  or  quarter  bred  of  that  strain.'* 

Countess,  although  bred  by  Mr.  Laverack,  was  run  by  Mr.  Llewellyn,, 
who  bought  her  from  Mr.  Sam  Lang,  who  got  her  from  Mr.  Laverack. 
Nellie  was  apparently  bought  direct  from  Mr.  Laverack,  as  no  mention  is 
made  of  Mr.  Lang  in  the  stud  book.  Hence  although  she  gave  prominence 
to  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennel,  the  credit  was  really  due  to  the  Laverack  strain. 
That  all  was  not  plain  sailing  for  the  Laveracks  is  apparent  from  this  remark 


CHAMPION    CORA   OF   WETHERALL 

Considered  the  most  symmetrical  setter  of  her  sex  durinif  the  time  of  her  career 


CINCINNATUS 

Prominent  on  the  bench  a  few  years  ago 


The  English  Setter  119 

of  Stonehenge:  ^'Before  Daisy  came  out,  Mr.  Garth  had  produced  a  brace 
of  very  bad  ones  at  Stafford,  in  1867,  and  it  was  with  considerable  prejudice 
against  them  that  the  above  celebrated  bitches  first  exhibited  their  powers 
in  spite  of  the  high  character  given  them  by  Mr.  Lort,  Mr.  Withington,  and 
other  well-known  sportsmen  who  had  shot  over  them  for  years.  It  is  Mr. 
Lort's  opinion  that  Mr.  Withington  possessed  better  dogs  than  even  Coun- 
tess, but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  private  trials  are  generally  more  flat- 
tering than  those  before  the  public."  All  of  which  goes  to  show  that  Stone- 
henge was  a  very  conservative,  unprejudiced  writer,  and  what  he  says  has 
added  value  on  that  account. 

Stonehenge  then  proceeds  to  discuss  what  were  the  originals  of  what 
have  come  to  be  called  ''Llewellyns,"  and  to  show  what  this  authority 
thought  of  the  original  title  for  these  dogs  we  quote  the  opening  paragraph: 
"I  come  now  to  consider  the  value  of  Mr.  Llewellyn's  'field-trial  strain,  as 
they  are  somewhat  grandiloquently  termed  by  their  'promoters,'  or,  as  I 
shall  call  them,  the  'Dan-Laveracks,'  being  all  either  by  Dan  out  of 
Laverack  bitches,  or  by  a  Laverack  dog  out  of  a  sister  to  Dan." 

If  there  were  "promoters"  in  England,  there  were  also  promoters  in 
this  country,  and  they  made  it  their  business  to  give  the  most  glowing 
accounts  of  the  Llewellyns,  late  "  field-trials  "  strain,  so  that  not  only  were 
the  American  shooting  public  misled  at  that  time,  but  nearly  every  person 
connected  with  field  dogs  since  then  has  been,  and  is  still,  of  the  opinion 
that  they  were  invincible  in  England  from  1870  as  long  as  Mr.  Llewellyn 
continued  to  run  dogs  in  the  English  field  trials.  Nothing  could  possibly 
be  further  from  the  truth,  and  while  we  could  state  the  facts  in  our  own  way 
and  be  thoroughly  accurate,  yet  any  person  who  takes  that  position  is  still 
likely  to  be  attacked  as  prejudiced  or  untruthful.  In  preference  to  that 
we  will  quote  what  Stonehenge  wrote  from  his  own  knowledge  and  from 
the  best  information,  publishing  it  when  and  where  the  facts  were  well 
known,  that  is,  in  England,  and  these  statements  were  never  called  in  ques- 
tion nor  were  his  conclusions.  Even  there,  however,  the  upholders  of  the 
Llewellyns  were  not  as  accurate  in  their  statements  as  they  should  have 
been.  One  of  them  who  wrote  over  the  nom  de  plume  of  "  Setter  "  is  quoted 
by  Stonehenge  as  saying:  "During  the  past  two  years  ten  of  the  Laveracks 
and  ten  of  the  Duke-Rhoebe  and  Laverack  cross  have  been  sent  to  America: 
the  former  including  Petrel,  Pride  of  the  Border,  Fairy  and  Victress;  the 
latter  including  Rock,  Leicester,  Rob  Roy,  Dart  and  Dora,  the  same  men 


I20  The  Dog  Book 

being  owners  of  both  sorts.  At  the  American  shows  both  sorts  have  ap- 
peared, and  the  Rhoebe  blood  has  always  beaten  the  Laverack.  At  field 
trials  no  Laverack  has  been  entered,  but  first,  second  and  third  prizes  were 
gained  at  their  last  field  trials,  in  the  champion  stakes,  by  dogs  of  the  Rhoebe 
blood,  all  descended  from  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennels."  In  the  first  place,  the 
same  men  did  not  own  the  setters  named,  Mr.  L.  H.  Smith,  of  Strathroy, 
Ont.,  being  the  only  one  to  possess  representatives  of  each  lot.  As  to  the 
wins,  the  first  champion  stakes  of  record,  run  in  1876,  had  Drake,  Stafford 
and  Paris  placed  in  that  order.  Drake  was  bred  by  Mr.  Luther  Adams 
and  was  by  the  Laverack  dog  Prince,  out  of  Dora,  who  was  bred  by  Mr. 
Statter  and  was  by  Duke  out  of  Rhoebe.  A  very  strange  record  of  breeding 
to  claim  to  have  come  from  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennels.  Stonehenge  very 
pertinently  remarks  that  as  the  two  strains  had  not  met  afield  there  was  no 
indication  of  superiority,  and  that  without  any  definite  knowledge  he  was 
quite  prepared  to  admit  superiority  on  the  bench,  as  the  Laverack  dogs 
were  heavy  and  lumbering,  and  the  bitches,  "though  very  elegant,  too 
small  and  delicate  for  perfection." 

Going  on  to  discuss  merits  of  the  field  trials  performers  as  shown 
in  England,  Stonehenge  says:  "Now,  although  I  have  always  regarded 
Duke  himself  as  on  the  whole  a  good  dog,  especially  in  pace  and  range, 
and  have  estimated  Dan  and  Dick,  the  result  of  his  cross  with  Mr.  Statter's 
Rhoebe,  favourably,  as  compared  with  the  Laverack  litters  as  shown  in 
Bruce  and  Rob  Roy,  yet  I  never  considered  Dan  as  a  good  cross  for  the 
Laverack  bitches,  because  his  sire  always  showed  a  want  of  nose  similar 
to  the  Laveracks  themselves.  Duke  is  said  by  'Setter,'  and  I  believe  cor- 
rectly, to  have  received  a  high  character  from  Mr.  Barclay  Field  for  his 
nose  as  exhibited  in  private,  but  he  was  notoriously  deficient  in  this  quality 
when  brought  before  the  public,  going  with  his  head  low  and  feeling  the 
foot  rather  than  the  body  scent.  In  proof  of  this  defect  it  is  only  necessary 
to  say  that  he  was  beaten  by  Hamlet  and  Young  Kent  in  this  quality  at 
Bala,  in  1867,  when  the  judge  gave  him  only  thirty-one  out  of  a  possible 
forty  for  nose,  while  at  Stafi^ord  in  the  following  spring  Rex  found  birds 
twenty  yards  behind  the  place  where  he  had  left  his  point,  thereby  gaining 
the  cup,  Sir  V.  Corbett,  the  breeder  of  Duke,  being  one  of  the  judges  and 
loud  in  his  admiration  of  Rex's  nose,  while  finding  fault  with  that  of  Duke. 
Indeed,  this  defect  was  always  made  the  excuse  for  E.  Armstrong's  con- 
stant interference  with  him  by  hand  and  voice — ^whether  rightly  or  wrongly 


The  English  Setter  12 1 

I  do  not  pretend  to  say,  but  it  evidently  marked  that  clever  breaker's  want  of 
confidence  in  his  dog's  nose.  Of  Rhoebe  herself  I  do  not  recollect  enough 
to  give  an  opinion  as  to  this  quality  in  her  individually,  and  among  her 
produce  I  do  not  remember  any  but  Bruce  and  Dan  that  displayed  even  an 
average  amount  of  scenting  powers.  Rob  Roy  was  notoriously  deficient 
in  nose;  and  Dick,  brother  to  Dan,  in  his  second  season  was  constantly 
making  false  points,  and  is  so  described  in  the  report  of  the  Southampton 
Trials  of  1872.  For  these  reasons,  although  I  had  always  considered  the 
Duke-Rhoebe  cross  superior  to  the  two  Laverack-Rhoebe  litters,  I  never 
expected  Dan  to  get  such  a  good  bitch  as  Noma,  in  point  of  nose  and  cor- 
rect carriage  of  head  and  flag,  according  to  my  ideas.  If  Nora,  as  alleged 
by  her  owner  and  'Setter,'  as  well  as  by  the  Field  reporter  at  Horseheath, 
is  superior  to  her,  I  can  only  make  my  apology  to  Dan  and  admit  that  he 
has  turned  out  a  better  sire  than  I  expected,  and  than  might  have  been 
gathered  from  the  performances  of  Laura,  Leda,  and  Druid,  at  the 
Devon  and  Cornwall,  and  Sleaford  trials  of  1874,  which  I  saw. 

"Taking  into  consideration  that  the  dogs  which  have  been  exhibited 
by  Mr.  Llewellyn  have  been  picked  from  a  very  large  kennel,  and  that  as 
far  as  I  have  seen  them  perform,  they  have  not  proved  themselves  to  be  above 
the  average,  I  can  only  come  to  the  conclusion  that  Dan  has  not  done  any 
great  good  in  improving  the  Laveracks,  except  in  looks  and  size.  Neither 
do  I  place  him  or  any  of  his  stock  in  the  first  rank  of  field  trials  winners, 
which  in  setters  would  I  think  include  only  Countess,  Ranger,  and  Dash 
IL,  forming  with  the  pointers  Drake  and  Belle,  a  quintet  in  class  Ai.  Dan 
came  out  in  public  only  once  it  is  true,  though  winning  three  stakes  at  that 
meeting,  but  he  met  the  same  dogs  in  all,  and  the  victory  was  virtually  only 
a  single  one.  After  this  he  put  his  shoulder  out  and  never  appeared  in  public 
again,  but  his  brother  Dick,  who  was  coupled  in  the  braces  with  him,  and 
went  equally  well  in  the  short  trial  accorded  them,  did  not  do  anything 
worth  speaking  of  next  year.  .  .  .  Moreover  Dan  had  at  Shrewsbury 
a  very  narrow  escape  of  defeat  by  Rake,  as  recorded  by  myself  at  the  time, 
so  that  on  mature  reflection  I  have  no  hesitation  in  placing  him  below  the 
first  class,  but  possibly  he  is  entitled  to  rank  in  the  second  class  along  with 
Plunket  and  his  son  and  daughter,  Kite  and  Music,  (Irish),  together  with 
Kate,  Rex  and  Lang  (Gordons).  To  them  may  be  probably  added  the  Dan- 
Laveracks  Noma  and  Nora  and  also  Die,  all  more  or  less  crossed  with  the 
late  Mr.  Laverack's  strain.     To  sum  up,  therefore,  it  may  be  safely  alleged 


122  The  Dog  Book 

that  his  (Laverack's)  setters  have  been  of  great  service  to  sportsmen  in 
giving  pace  and  style  when  crossed  with  other  breeds." 

Those  entitled  by  experience  to  enter  into  any  controversy  on  the 
subject  of  Mr.  Laverack's  and  Mr.  Llewellyn's  setters  know  only  too  well 
that  the  authority  thus  quoted  cannot  be  gainsaid  in  any  facts,  and  that 
the  arguments  with  which  he  leads  up  to  his  opinions  are  exceedingly  hard 
to  controvert.  That  then  was  the  position  of  the  Llewellyns  in  England  at 
the  very  time  they  were  being  forced  upon  the  American  market  by  a  very 
much  interested  coterie  intent  on  striking  the  financial  iron  while  they  were 
keeping  it  hot. 

Even  in  Shaw's  "Book  of  the  Dog,"  published  in  1880,  there  is  no 
intimation  that  Mr.  Llewellyn  had  "set  the  Thames  on  fire"  with  his  world 
beaters,  and  the  only  references  to  that  gentleman  are:  "Mr.  R.  LI.  Purcell- 
Llewellyn  is  one  of  our  greatest  Laverack  breeders  of  the  day,  and  spares 
no  trouble  or  expense  in  perfecting  his  strain.  .  .  .  Count  Wind'em, 
Countess  Bear  and  Countess  Moll  are  the  bright  particular  stars  of  Mr. 
Llewellyn's  kennel,  and  the  first  named  is  a  great,  big,  useful-looking  dog.'* 
We  do  not  advance  the  latter  quotations  as  in  any  way  conclusive,  for  it  is 
very  evident  that  the  setter  article  in  that  book  was  a  piece  of  patch  work, 
written  by  various  persons,  but  that  there  is  no  mention  of  what  was  at 
that  time  to  Americans  the  most  wonderful  combination  of  ability  and 
good  looks  proves  that  they  were  exciting  very  little  attention  in  England 
compared  with  what  the  agitation  in  the  American  press  had  accomplished 
in  this  country. 

Early  Importations  of  Laveracks 

The  success  of  the  Laveracks  in  England,  coupled  with  the  interest 
engendered  here  by  the  publication  of  Mr.  Laverack's  book,  unavoidably 
inspired  American  progressive  sportsmen  with  the  wish  to  secure  some  of 
the  much-to-be-desired  breed,  and  when  it  was  announced  early  in  1874 
that  Mr.  Laverack  was  offering  for  sale  a  brace  of  his  dogs,  he  became 
the  recipient  of  many  inquiries,  and  of  several  offers  to  purchase  them. 
Upon  receipt  of  a  communication  accompanied  by  a  draft  for  the  amount 
asked,  he  shipped  to  New  York  the  first  pair  of  his  dogs  exported  to  this 
country,  where  they  arrived  in  July  of  that  year.  These  dogs  were  Pride 
of  the  Border,  and  Fairy,  purchased  by  Mr.  Charles  H.  Raymond,  of  Fox 


CHAMPION    COUNT    RENO 
A   Pacific  Coast  son   of  Albert's   Fleet 


MR.   R.    H.  BARRY'S   MYRTLE   BEATRICE 


The  English  Setter  123 

Farm,  Morris  Plains,  N.  J.,  Fairy  coming  over  in  whelp  to  Laverack's 
Blue  Prince,  a  son  of  Pride  of  the  Border. 

In  appearance  the  imported  pair  did  not  greatly  resemble  each  other. 
Pride  of  the  Border,  although  not  a  large  dog,  was  somewhat  heavily  made, 
with  long,  low  action,  and  liver  and  white  in  colour.  Fairy,  although  stoutly 
built,  was  smaller,  of  lighter  frame  and  quicker  in  movement,  and  was  an 
orange  Belton.  Both  were  wide  rangers,  and  possessed  extraordinary 
powers  of  scent.  In  this  latter  particular  Pride  of  the  Border  was  a  remark- 
able dog.  At  first  he  was  apparently  indifferent  to  or  puzzled  by  the  scent 
of  our  game  birds,  but  when  he  became  acclimated  and  grew  accustomed 
to  the  new  conditions,  he  developed  into  a  most  satisfactory  shooting  dog. 
When  in  the  field  his  intelligence  seemed  always  actively  at  work,  and  in 
getting  to  his  birds  his  head  saved  his  heels  many  an  unnecessary  rod's 
travel.  Like  one  of  the  blue  Beltons  described  by  Mr.  Laverack,  this  dog 
displayed  wonderful  sagacity  on  running  birds;  for  instance,  pointing  an 
old  cock  grouse,  or  a  running  brood,  he  knew  by  the  scent  when  the  game 
had  left  him;  then,  instead  of  footing,  immediately  sunk  or  dropped  down 
wind  thirty  or  forty  yards  and  re-pointed,  his  sagacity  telling  him  he  could 
find  game  much  quicker  by  taking  advantage  of  the  wind  than  'footing.' 
When  working  on  quail  or  ruffed  grouse.  Pride  of  the  Border  constantly 
resorted  to  these  tactics  whenever  the  birds  *  roaded.*  When  on  his  game 
he  'set'  instead  of  pointing;  lying  down  with  neck  extended  like  a  dog  at 
Mown  charge,'  reminding  one  of  Laverack's  expressed  belief  that  'most 
breeders  of  any  note  agree  that  the  setter  is  nothing  more  than  the  setting 
spaniel  improved.'" 

Pride  and  Fairy  showed  to  great  advantage  on  the  open  snipe  meadow, 
ranging  widely  and  pointing  and  backing  staunchly,  and  they  would  doubt- 
less have  made  an  equally  effective  brace  on  wide  prairies.  Fairy  was 
faster  than  the  dog,  and  more  animated  in  her  work,  but  like  him  was  round 
ribbed  and  deep  chested.  Both  were  thorough  "gun  dogs,"  caring  little 
for  anything  save  seeking  and  finding  game.  They  were  never  run  in  field 
trials — then  in  their  infancy  here — being  reserved  by  their  owner  for  his 
personal  use  in  the  field.  Pride  was  never  publicly  advertised  in  the  stud, 
but  was  bred  to  several  bitches  from  various  parts  of  the  country,  and  some 
of  his  progeny  were  later  imported  by  other  fanciers.  In  1881  we  com- 
piled a  record  of  the  get  of  Pride  of  the  Border  which  showed  that  of  the 
fifty-six  Laveracks  then  in  this  country,  forty-six  were  descendants  of  this 


124  The  Dog  Book 

noted  dog.  As  quite  a  number  of  setter  breeders  of  the  present  time  are 
often  at  a  loss  to  decide  whether  certain  old  dogs  were  or  were  not  pure  bred 
Laveracks,  we  give  this  record  of  1881,  exactly  as  we  published  it  two  years 
later  in  the  old  American  Kennel  Register. 

Pride  of  the  Border's  Progeny — first  generation 

Out  of  Fairy:  Charm,  Guy  Mannering,  Roderick  Dhu,  Brough, 
Ranger. 

Out  of  Petrel:     Shafto,  Pontiac,  Pride,  Petrel  II.,  Princess  Nellie. 
Out  of  Fairy  II. :    Thunder,  Duke  of  Beaufort. 
Out  of  Ruby:     Diamond,  Daisy  Dean. 

second  generation 

From  Carlowitz  (imported),  out  of  Princess  Nellie:  True  Blue, 
Carlina,  Lilly,  Sting  II.,  Count  Noser,  Carmot. 

From  Blue  Prince,  out  of  Fairy:     Young  Laverack  (imported). 

From  Pontiac,  out  of  Fairy:     Fate,  Etoile. 

From  Pontiac,  out  of  Fairy  II :  Fairy  Prince,  Lance,  Laverack  Chief, 
Fairy  III. 

From  Thunder,  out  of  Peeress:  Dick  Laverack,  Prince  Laverack, 
Mack  Laverick,  Maple,  Coomassie,  Lady  Laverack,  Daisy  Laverack,  Pet 
Laverack,  Lu  Laverack,  Peggy  Laverack. 

^    From  Young  Laverack,  out  of  Petrel  II.:     Lora  Laverack. 

From  Carlowitz,  out  of  Daisy  Dean:     Bonny  Kate,  Sir  Hal,  Leo  X. 

To  this  second  generation  there  was  added  two  years  later  the  dog 
Emperor  Fred,  sent  over  and  first  shown  here  in  the  name  of  Mr.  Robinson, 
but  afterward  as  the  property  of  E.  A.  Herzberg,  of  Brooklyn,  who  returned 
as  part  payment  to  Mr.  Robinson  the  dog  Aldershot,  a  son  of  Emperor 
Fred,  whose  name  appears  in  the  third  generation  which  we  now  give. 

third  generation 

From  Tam  O'Shanter,  out  of  La  Reine:  Blue  Queen  and  Don  Juan, 
both  imported. 


MR.    FRANK    G.    TAV  i  1    i.\    KNIGHT    ERRANT 

A  widely  siiuwn  dog  from  1898  to  1900 


DR.    J.    E.    HAIR'S   CHAMPION    HIGHLAND    FLEET 


The  English  Setter  125 

From  Bailey's  Victor,  out  of  Blue  Daisy :  Fairy  II.  and  Magnet.  These 
were  credited  in  the  stud  book  to  Mr.  Laverack  as  breeder,  but  we  satisfied 
ourselves  at  the  time  that  they  were  bred  by  Mr.  Robinson,  of  Sunder- 
land, who  was  the  canine  legatee  of  Mr.  Laverack. 

From  Emperor  Fred,  out  of  Blue  Cora :     Aldershot. 

All  three  of  these  dams  were  by  Blue  Prince,  son  of  Pride  of  the  Border, 
and  Emperor  Fred  was  also  by  Blue  Prince. 

The  foregoing  were  of  course  not  all  of  the  get  of  Pride  of  the  Border, 
for  it  was  only  the  living  descendants  at  that  time  that  were  tabulated,  and 
Pride  had  also  been  bred  to  other  than  pure  Laverack  bitches,  getting  that 
excellent  show  and  field  dog  St.  Elmo  out  of  a  short  pedigreed  bitch  of 
Herzberg's. 

In  speaking  to  Mr.  Raymond  recently  about  the  old  dog  and  his 
descendants  he  told  us  that  he  still  had  some  setters  that  traced  to  him,  and 
whenever  trained  they  were  found  to  be  excellent  field  dogs.  Those  were 
not  pure  Laveracks,  however;  indeed,  we  believe  it  would  be  impossible 
to  find  one  anywhere  that  had  such  a  claim.  As  to  the  controversies  which 
have  taken  place  regarding  Laverack  pedigrees,  Mr.  Raymond  never  in 
any  way  took  part,  he  being  thoroughly  satisfied  with  the  high  character 
and  excellence  of  the  dogs  themselves,  without  discussing  old,  unnecessary 
subjects,  which  had  no  bearing  on  the  individuality  of  the  dogs. 

Other  importations  followed  Mr.  Raymond's  and  for  ten  years  the  Lave- 
racks had  their  full  share  of  success  on  the  show  bench.  The  series  of 
importations  of  this  strain  terminating  with  that  of  Emperor  Fred,  a  remark- 
ably good  dog  that  never  really  got  his  deserts  in  this  country.  He  was 
first  shown  at  New  York  in  1881,  and  led  in  the  class  for  imported  setter 
dogs.  The  term  "imported"  including  the  progeny  of  imported  dogs,  so 
that  Duke  of  Beaufort  and  Pontiac,  both  by  Pride  of  the  Border,  the  former 
out  of  Fairy  II.,  and  the  latter  out  of  Petrel,  though  bred  here,  were  in  this 
class,  and  these  three  Laveracks  were  placed  in  the  order  named.  When 
it  came  to  the  breed  special,  Thunder,  another  Laverack,  beat  Emperor 
Fred,  though  the  latter  was  an  immeasurably  superior  dog.  Thunder  was 
a  big  winner  at  that  period,  but  very  faulty  in  essential  points,  though  quite  a 
taking  dog  to  the  non-expert.  The  judge  on  this  occasion  was  not  the  only 
one  to  make  this  blunder,  but  as  sound  judges  were  not  by  any  means 
plentiful  at  that  time,  awards  by  the  non-experts  must  be  accepted  with 
caution.     Emperor  Fred  finally  had  justice  done  him  at  Washington  in  1883, 


126  The  Dog  Book 

when  Mr.  Mason  placed  him  first  in  a  wonderfully  strong  class  of  champions 
— dogs  which  had  won  first  in  the  open  class.  Here  he  defeated  Thunder, 
Don  Juan,  Plantagenet,  Coin,  and  Foreman.  So  successful  were  the 
Laveracks  up  to  that  time  that  at  this  show  the  classification  for  English 
setters  was  divided  into  sections  for  Laveracks  of  pure  breeding  and 
"except  pure  Laveracks."  But  this  was  almost  the  end  of  this  short-lived 
division,  for  the  glamour  of  the  field-trial  performances  of  certain  dogs 
twisted  the  setter-judging  to  such  an  extent  that  Laveracks  became  practi- 
cally extinct. 

With  the  departure  of  Emperor  Fred  from  the  ring,  Plantagenet  was 
about  the  best  setter  of  1884.  Foreman,  it  is  true,  defeated  him,  but  while 
there  was  room  for  difi^erence  of  opinion,  we  always  favoured  the  more 
quality-looking  Plantagenet,  for  Foreman  was  a  very  heavy-headed  dog. 
short  and  round  in  skull  and  rather  short  bodied,  "chucked  up,"  in  fact, 
Nevertheless  he  was  a  very  impressive  dog,  a  good,  vigorous  mover,  with 
superb  hindquarters,  and  but  for  a  slight  turning  out  of  the  forefeet,  and 
not  being  quite  straight  enough  in  pasterns  to  please  the  fastidious,  he  was 
a  dog  of  grand  character,  and  this,  coupled  with  his  superb  coat,  both  in 
quantity  and  quality,  made  him  a  setter  that  should  have  pleased  both 
sections  of  the  fancy.  It  soon  became  noised  abroad  that  he  was  a  good 
field  dog,  so  that  when  he  won  the  champion  stakes  at  the  Eastern  Field 
Trials  Club  meeting  he  sprang  into  deserved  popularity  as  a  sire  with 
beneficial  results,  more  particularly  in  getting  bitches  of  quality,  such  as 
Haphazard,  Calico,  Saddlebags,  Daisy  Foreman  and  others,  all  decided 
acquisitions  on  the  score  of  shape  and  appearance,  though  all  showing  more 
or  less  the  roundness  of  skull  and  shortness  of  muzzle,  with  the  pinched 
appearance  their  sire  displayed.  We  take  it,  however,  that  he  was  the 
next  dog  to  do  good  to  the  setter  following  Pride  of  the  Border. 

The  Era  of  Mr.  Windholz  and  the  Blackstone  Kennels 

We  now  come  to  an  era  that  warms  the  heart  of  those  who  can  recall 
the  dogs  of  1885  and  following  years  during  which  the  dogs  of  Mr.  Windholz 
played  such  a  conspicuous  part  at  the  leading  shows  of  that  period.  This 
gentleman  started  his  prominent  show  career  with  Rockingham  and  Princess 
Beatrice,  and,  as  the  former  remained  an  unbeaten  dog  for  some  time,  it  is 
always  with  considerable  personal  satisfaction  we  recall  the  facts  attending 


BARTON   TORY 

A  prominent  do2  in  the  present-day  revival  of  the  correct  type  of  English  setters,  which  began  four  years  ago 


STYLISH    SERGEANT 

A  leading  show  dog  in  England  and  America  ;    now  at  Seattle,  Washingto 


The  English  Setter  127 

his  purchase.  We  visited  England  in  the  early  winter  of  1884,  and  the  only 
show  of  importance  we  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  was  that  at  Hull. 
There  we  met  our  old  friend  Billy  Graham,  from  Belfast,  who,  by  the  way, 
took  the  special  for  best  four  of  any  breed  with  the  best  matched  team  of 
Irish  terriers  we  have  ever  seen  benched  by  any  person.  Mr.  Graham 
told  us  he  had  an  order  for  a  brace  of  setters  for  Mr.  Windholz  and  wanted 
our  opinion  on  a  dog  that  was  at  the  show.  We  had  already  had  a  casual 
glance  along  the  benches  and  had  noted  a  very  likely  looking  dog  and, 
remembering  his  whereabouts,  we  located  the  dog  when  Mr.  Graham  was 
trying  to  do  so.  It  was  the  dog  we  had  noticed.  He  was  in  very  poor 
condition,  thin  as  a  rail  and  looking  wretched.  We  took  him  down  and  in 
reply  to  the  question  as  to  whether  he  could  be  got  right,  Mr.  Graham  said 
he  was  positive  he  could,  as  he  had  seen  him  in  good  shape  and  his  condition 
then  was  the  result  of  sickness.  "Then  buy  him  if  you  are  sure  of  that,  for 
if  he  can  be  got  right  he  will  beat  any  setter  we  have,"  was  our  advice.  So 
Graham  bought  the  dog  and  later  secured  an  excellent  mate  for  him  in 
Princess  Phoebus.  Rockingham  was  one  of  those  dogs  fitly  described  by 
one  of  the  critics  of  that  day  who,when  not  exactly  sure  of  his  ground,  summed 
up  a  dog  as  having  no  glaring  faults — slightly  strong  in  head,  but  of  good 
type  and  excellent  expression  and  needing  a  little  more  bend  to  the  hocks 
and  a  little  less  flatness  of  back.  A  few  changes  of  that  sort  would  have 
been  very  great  improvements  in  a  dog  that  even  without  them  was  an 
excellent  type  all  over,  and  with  his  lovely  coat  was  one  that  gave  pleasure 
to  look  at.  He  was  a  good  dog  to  shoot  over,  and  so  were  his  get,  Mr. 
Windholz  always  taking  a  fall  shooting  trip  to  the  South  in  those  days. 

Unfortunately,,  neither  this  good  dog  nor  his  sire  Belthus,  then  in  this 
country,  were  bred  to  to  any  extent,  nor  as  men  of  intelligence  in  the  breed 
should  have  done.  Breeders  went  after  strange  gods  in  those  days  with 
results  we  shall  soon  have  to  touch  upon.  Mr.  Windholz  followed  up  these 
importations  with  those  of  Count  Howard,  Cora  of  Wetherall,  Countess  Zoe 
and  Princess  Beatrice,  and  could  show  a  team  the  counterpart  of  which  we 
never  saw  until  Mr.  Vandergrift  took  up  the  breed  a  few  years  ago.  The 
rival  to  Mr.  Windholz  was  the  Blackstone  Kennels  of  Pawtucket,  and  as 
Foreman  could  not  defeat  Rockingham,  Mr.  Crawford  decided  to  import 
one  that  might  do  so.  The  result  was  the  oncoming  of  Royal  Albert, 
who  finally  succeeded  in  winning  from  the  older  dog  at  New  York  in  1887. 
The  question  was  not  by  any  means  considered  settled  thereby,  for  the  con- 


128  The  Dog  Book 

sensus  of  opinion  was  that  the  setters  at  this  show  were  very  badly  judged. 
We  might  add  to  that  that  we  know  they  were  not  properly  judged,  but  as 
the  awarder  of  the  ribbons  has  joined  the  majority,  this  is  neither  the  time 
nor  the  place  to  speak  further.  Another  excellent  importation  was  Royal 
Prince  11. ,  shown  most  successfully  through  the  shows  of  1887  and  1889. 

The  Dark  Days  of  the  "Tennessee  Setters" 

A  very  good  American-bred  dog  was  competing  at  this  time  named 
Roger,  getting  either  first  or  second  at  a  number  of  good  shows.  He  was 
shown  for  three  years  at  New  York,  and  was  second  on  each  occasion.  He 
was  a  big,  sound  dog,  of  good  conformation,  but  failed  in  quality  just 
enough  to  keep  him  out  of  the  top  rank.  One  would  imagine  that  with  all 
this  education  as  to  what  an  English  setter  should  look  like  it  would  have 
been  impossible  for  any  person  qualified  to  judge  the  breed  to  go  wrong,  but 
such  was  not  the  case.  Judges  who  had  seen  dogs  at  the  field  trials  did  not 
seem  able  to  forget  that  the  sires  of  certain  dogs  shown  under  them  in  the 
ring  had  run  well  in  the  field,  and  it  must  have  been  on  that  account  alone 
that  many  decisions  were  made  by  men  who  had  placed  dogs  properly  on 
prior  occasions  and  have  shown  better  judgment  since  then. 

As  most  of  these  singular  and  angular  dogs  came  from  Tennessee,  those 
who  attacked  the  bad  judging  gave  them  the  name  of  the  "Tennessee 
setters"  and  derided  them  to  the  full  extent  of  their  ability.  Occasionally 
since  then  we  have  been  asked  what  a  Tennessee  setter  is,  the  inquirer  being 
under  the  impression  that  it  was  some  specially  good  line  of  the  breed.  As 
illustrative  of  what  the  "Tennessee  setters"  looked  like  we  give  the  criticism 
of  Mr.  Mason  on  the  dog  that  won  first  and  special  in  a  class  of  twenty-four 
dogs  at  a  leading  show  of  1887,  the  extract  being  from  "Our  Prize  Dogs" — 
a  most  valuable  contribution  to  kennel  literature,  containing  full  descrip- 
tions with  criticism  on  all  the  prize  winners  of  that  period: 

"Skull  and  muzzle  fairly  good,  also  eyes,  ears  and  lips.  Neck  well 
formed  and  of  sufficient  length.  Chest  very  defective,  the  ribs  showing 
scarcely  any  deviation  from  a  straight  line,  and  being  attached  to  the  verte- 
brae in  about  the  same  way  that  the  legs  of  a  milking  stool  are  set  in.  The 
result  of  this  structural  defect  is  a  narrow,  slab-sided  chest,  lacking  incapacity 
for  lodgment  of  heart  and  lungs,  and  a  narrow,  weak  back.  The  short  ribs 
should  be  much  deeper  and  better  spread,  and  the  loin,  instead  of  being  flat^ 


MR.    A.    ALBRIGHT,    JR.'s    QUEEN'S    PLACE    PRIDE 
One  of  the  many  good  setters  imported  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Vandergrift 


Photo  by  Schrciber 


c.     iHu;>iA;>,    JR.'.?    ,  i.>  Lk.-,  1  •  i..  L    lv..l 
An  imported  dog  and  consistent  winner 


Photo  by  Schreiber 


The  English  Setter  129 

narrow  and  tucked  up,  should  show  strength,  not  only  in  width  but  in  depth. 
The  vertebrae  instead  of  protruding  so  as  to  leave  a  line  down  the  back  like 
the  edge  of  a  saw,  should  be  well  clothed  on  both  sides  with  hard  muscle. 
Quarters  very  light,  and  showing  defects  such  as  we  have  never  seen  over- 
looked by  a  judge  of  the  breed.  Thighs  resembling  those  of  a  cat,  being 
narrow  and  flat,  and  from  a  back  view  showing  none  of  the  beautiful  lines 
which  always  portray  speed  and  power,  and  which  are  indispensable  in  dogs 
which  must  go  and  stay.  Hocks  straight  and  light;  they  should  be  well  bent, 
strong  and  clean.  Forelegs  not  quite  straight.  Shoulders  moderate. 
Feet  fairly  good.  Tail  long  and  curled  over  the  back.  Stands  low  at  the 
shoulder  in  proportion  to  height  at  quarters.  A  small,  weedy-looking  dog, 
having  body  and  limbs  for  which  there  is  no  standard  and  probably  never 
will  be." 

The  second  to  this  dog  was  summarised  as  follows:  "An  undersized, 
slab-sided,  light-quartered,  ring-tailed  and  bad-headed  specimen,  having 
few  if  any  show  points.  After  having  examined  very  carefully  this  and 
other  dogs  at  this  show,  we  can  readily  understand  why  a  new  standard  was 
contemplated." 

The  cause  of  this  perversion  of  the  English  setter  type  is  to  be  traced 
to  the  introduction  of  the  Llewellyns,  not  that  the  imported  dogs  were  such 
weeds,  but  that  the  incompetence  of  breeders  and  the  complete  ignoring  of 
anything  like  advisability  in  breeding  let  loose  a  flood  of  wretchedly  built 
dogs,  and  judges  who  had  knowledge  of  field  trials  did  not  seem  able  to 
properly  place  dogs  descended  from  racing  progenitors  competing  with 
true-built  dogs  of  type,  when  it  came  to  judging  points  in  the  show  ring. 
With  them  the  fact  that  a  dog  was  descended  from  parents  of  excellent  field 
qualifications  was  evidently  ample  reason  for  placing  that  dog  high  in  the 
prize  list.  Their  judging  was  very  much  on  the  order  of  the  old  game- 
keeper's who,  having  been  persuaded  to  don  the  ermine,  took  a  glance  over 
the  candidates  till  his  eye  lighted  on  one  that  made  him  at  once  decide  the 
placing  by  saying,  "That  looks  like  our  old  Bill,  give  him  first." 

What  these  "Llewellyns"  were  has  never  been  lucidly  determined,  and 
later-day  writers  and  supporters  of  the  title  acknowledge  that  no  rule  can  be 
framed  to  interpret  the  name  clearly.  We  all  know  what  a  Laverack  was — 
a  dog  from  Mr.  Laverack's  kennels,  or  descended  from  such,  without  any 
outside  blood;  but  Mr.  Llewellyn  had  no  strain  at  all  in  his  kennel.  He  had 
dabbled  in  Irish  setters,  bought  "cracks"  of  full  Laverack  blood,  such  as 


I30  The  Dog  Book 

Countess  and  her  sister,  and  then  some  more  winners  of  Mr.  Statter*s  breed- 
ing. These  he  crossed,  not  as  anything  new  or  patented  by  him,  but 
merely  what  many  other  English  breeders  were  then  doing.  He,  however, 
had  the  very  good  fortune  to  sell  some  of  his  dogs  to  some  Americans,  who 
at  once  proceeded  to  exploit  the  "strain,"  and, to  differentiate  them  from 
the  Laveracks,  styled  them  Llewellyns.  Now  we  have  dogs  from  that 
breeder's  kennels  which  were  not  of  the  cross  between  the  Statter  setters 
and  the  Laveracks,  for  Mr.  Llewellyn  very  soon  introduced  different  blood; 
and  on  the  other  hand,  we  have  had  dogs  of  this  Dan-Laverack  strain,  as 
Stonehenge  called  the  cross,  which  Mr.  Llewellyn  never  saw.  That  Llewel- 
lyn enthusiast,  Mr.  Joseph  A.  Graham,  of  St.  Louis,  in  "The  Sporting 
Dog,**  frankly  and  honestly  says  that  it  is  impossible  to  give  a  definition 
that  will  hold  good.  He  says  the  exclusionists*  definition  of  Duke-Rhoebe 
and  Laverack  will  not  hold  good  because  it  shuts  out  "a  large  number  of  the 
most  respected  names  in  Llewellyn  pedigrees;'*  meaning  dogs  bought  from 
that  breeder  with  later  crosses  of  Dash  H.  blood.  Then  he  says  that  to 
limit  the  title  to  dogs  which  had  come  from  Mr.  Llewellyn*s  kennel  would 
exclude  all  the  Blue  Beltons  and  several  others.  These  exclusionists 
wanted  to  keep  out  the  Gleam  strain  because  of  his  descent  from  another 
outside  cross,  that  of  Sam;  but  now  they  have  let  down  the  bars  and  the 
Gleams  are  in  the  inner  circle.  Finally,  Mr.  Graham  says  it  "would  be  as 
well  to  go  further  and  drop  the  *pure'  idea  altogether,  letting  Llewellyn 
blood  stand  for  what  it  is — an  influential  but  not  separate  element  in  English 
setter  breeding."  But  he  still  leaves  us  puzzling  as  to  what  this  Llewellyn 
blood  is.  Is  it  everything  that  Mr.  Llwellyn  bred  from  all  sorts  of  outside 
sources,  and  everything  that  others  bred  at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same 
way  as  he  did,  or  what  ? 

Bringing  this  question  down  to  the  present  times,  there  was  a  special 
offered  by  Mr.  Graham  at  the  St.  Louis  Exposition  dog  show  for  the  best 
Llewellyn  dog  and  another  for  the  best  Llewellyn  bitch.  When  it  came  to 
the  judging  Ben  Lewis  took  in  his  regular  class  winners.  Bracken  o'Leck 
and  Lansdowne  Mallwyd  Di.  There  was  much  discussion  in  the  ring  as 
to  eligibility,  and  Mr.  Marsh  Byers,  the  judge,  finally  said  as  no  one  could 
give  any  definition  or  show  any  published  condition  governing  the  special, 
he  could  only  judge  the  dogs  claimed  to  be  Llewellyns  and  the  class  awards 
were  followed.  We  later  saw  the  official  judges'  record  and  there  was  a 
memorandum  "disqualified"  against  these  winners,  but   by  whom  made 


^1 


The  English  Setter  131 

or  for  what  reason  we  were  unable  to  find  out.  Mr.  Lewis  told  us  that  some 
of  the  dog*s  ancestors  had  come  from  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennels,  and  if  that  is 
so  then  Mr.  Graham's  own  book  could  be  cited  in  support  of  the  eligibility 
of  these  two  dogs. 

Be  it  understood  that  we  have  no  objection  to  the  naming,  in  some 
special  way,  of  a  branch  of  the  setter  family  bred  for  the  particular  purpose 
of  running  in  field  trials,  but  we  do  hold  that  no  person  can  purchase  a  bitch 
from  one  man  and  a  dog  from  another  and  in  four  months  the  progeny  of 
this  brace  are  eligible  to  be  given  his  name  as  a  distinguishing  title,  which 
is  just  what  the  so-called  Llewellyns  amount  to. 

We  have  already  referred  to  the  manner  in  which  they  were  forced  to 
the  front  in  dog  shows,  by  placing  crudely  shaped  animals,  bred  from  dogs 
with  field  trial  records,  over  much  better  setters;  but  it  is  not  to  be  denied 
that  the  same  methods  were  adopted  in  field  trials,  until  it  was  almost  a 
matter  of  necessity  to  run  dogs  of  certain  breeding  to  win  at  these  contests. 
There  is  far  greater  latitude  in  field  trials  for  the  exercise  of  individual 
opinion — ^what  Mr.  John  Davidson  has  aptly  styled  the  judge's  "think" — 
than  in  dog  shows,  and  this  was  exercised  to  the  full  in  field  trials.  By 
these  means  all  opposition  was  swamped  and  the  result  was  most  conspicu- 
ous in  the  shrunken  classes  of  setters  at  the  shows  of  the  period  which  fol- 
lowed the  bad  work  we  have  referred  to.  Not  only  that,  but  type  was  cast 
to  the  winds,  and  only  at  intervals  were  dogs  of  the  right  sort  placed  where 
they  ought  to  be.  It  was,  indeed,  dark  days  for  the  English  setter  for  about 
five  years  beginning  about  1887. 

As  Mr.  Mason  hinted  in  his  criticisms  quoted  above,  new  standards 
were  made  to  fit  the  new  dogs;  but  those  who  held  to  the  old  cult  would  have 
none  of  the  new  idea,  and  the  first  fell  flat,  as  has  also  the  second;  and  so 
radically  wrong  was  the  latest  "  made-to-fit  standard  "  that  it  resulted  in  the 
formation  of  an  English  setter  club  which  adopted  a  standard  more  in  keep- 
ing with  what  an  English  setter  really  is. 

That  this  field  trials  strain  of  setters  did  good,  we  do  not  for  a  moment 
question.  Greater  interest  was  developed  in  the  breeding  and  running  of 
dogs  at  the  trials,  which  also  increased  rapidly  in  number  and  importance; 
but  any  claim  that  our  excellent  class  of  field  trials  dogs  is  due  entirely  to 
being  able  to  trace  back  through  several  generations  to  two  or  three  dogs,  is 
not  tenable  for  a  moment.  In  an  article  published  recently  in  Country  Life 
in  America^  we  stated  our  opinion  that  if  there  had  been  no  importations 


132  The  Dog  Book 

to  speak  of,  the  same  amount  of  work  in  breeding  to  notable  performers,  a 
similar  number  of  their  progeny  to  select  the  young  entry  from  and  the  same 
amount  of  labour  expended  in  their  training  would  have  made  just  as  high 
a  grade  as  we  have  now.  If  it  was  all  in  the  blood,  in  this  particular  Dan- 
Laverack  cross,  why  was  it  that  Mr.  Llewellyn  had  to  go  outside  for  new 
blood,  and  then  drop  down  to  the  bottom  again  with  his  field  trials  entries. 

It  was  little  wonder  that  with  bad  dogs  put  in  front  breeders  were 
all  at  sea  in  knowing  what  to  breed  to  for  type.  Dogs  went  up  and  down  in 
the  prize  lists — H.  C.  at  some  second-class  show  and  second  at  New  York, 
then  back  again  to  a  commendation.  The  result  was  that  every  breeder 
could  find  warrant  in  breeding  to  almost  any  kind  of  a  built  dog,  and  most 
of  them  bred  to  dogs  that  had  won  in  the  field,  no  matter  what  they  looked 
like.  The  natural  result  followed  of  worse  mixed  classes  than  we  had 
had  at  any  time  since  the  introduction  of  the  Laveracks  and  the  separation 
of  imported  dogs  from  natives,  a  distinction  that  had  long  been  done  away 
with. 

It  was  not  until  about  1892  that  we  began  to  see  daylight  again,  and 
although  Albert's  Ranger,  imported  at  that  time,  was  lacking  in  some 
of  the  essentials  we  deem  necessary  in  a  field  dog,  he  was  yet  a  dog  of 
exceptional  quality,  and  in  some  respects  of  type  also.  Almost  at  the 
same  time  Cincinnatus  Pride  appeared,  a  dog  lacking  in  quality  compared 
with  those  of  the  best  type,  but  still  of  good  parts  and  symmetry.  For 
several  years  these  two  held  sway  in  the  show  ring  till  Sheldon  came  out. 
This  was  a  remarkably  good  son  of  Rockingham,  and  it  was  undoubtedly  a 
most  unfortunate  thing  that  hardly  had  this  grand  dog  been  discovered 
than  he  was  lost  to  breeders.  Coming  out  at  New  York  in  1896,  he  defeated 
both  the  dogs  just  named,  and  although  the  decision  was  much  discussed,  it 
was  upheld  at  the  four  succeeding  shows  under  different  judges,  one  being 
a  very  severe  critic  of  the  first  award.  For  seven  shows  he  kept  up  his 
winning  gait  and  then  fell  sick  and  died.  He  was  a  dog  of  grand  formation 
and  all  a  setter,  while  he  was  of  great  quality.  Those  opposed  to  his 
successes  kept  calling  him  a  Laverack,  possibly  under  the  impression  that 
that  was  a  term  of  reproach,  forgetting  that  his  dam  was  by  Belton,  a  Duke- 
Rhcebe-Laverack  bred  one,  and  eligible  to  the  inner  circles  of  exclusiveness; 
although,  lamentably  for  the  sake  of  the  name  Llewellyn,  Mr.  Statter  bred 
Belton  before  Mr.  Llewellyn  ever  owned  Dan,  with  which  he  is  claimed  to 
have  started  the  line  of  dogs  given  his  name  as  originator.     Sheldon's 


CHARITY 


COUNT   OAKLEY 


RODFIELD 
A  great  6eld-trials  performer 


The  English  Setter  133 

record  shows  him  to  have  been  very  decidedly  the  best  American-bred  dog 
of  that  date,  if  not  up  to  that  time. 

Sheldon  would  probably  never  have  been  shown  if  he  had  not  been 
"discovered"  by  that  good  judge  of  a  setter  and  experienced  breeder, 
Dr.  J.  E.  Hair,  of  Bridgeport,  Conn.  Up  to  that  time  he  had  been  kept 
as  a  private  shooting  dog,  with  no  knowledge  of  how  good  he  was  from  a 
show  point  of  view.  Had  he  lived  we  are  fully  of  the  opinion  that  he 
would  have  done  wonders  for  the  setter,  for  from  the  few  bitches  he  was 
bred  to  each  of  his  get  was  a  winner,  and  the  second  generation  are  to-day 
about  the  only  American-bred  setters  that  have  reached  the  title  of  champion 
during  the  past  two  or  three  years. 

A  setter  which  had  a  great  reputation  in  the  West  now  made  his 
appearance  in  the  East,  Rodfield,  and  although  he  was  anything  but  a  good 
dog,  he  eventually  got  his  champion  title  through  winning  three  firsts  in 
the  open  class  under  fanciers  of  the  field  trials  bred  dogs,  and  then  with  no 
opposition  in  the  challenge  class  at  small  Western  shows  he  got  the  necessary 
three  wins,  a  process  which  could  not  be  repeated  under  present  conditions. 
A  far  better  dog  was  Cincinnatus  Pride,  for  Rodfield  was  short  in  head  and 
thick  in  skull,  full  in  eyes,  with  an  exceedingly  bad  front  and  weak  pasterns 
to  offset  his  good  neck,  body  and  quarters.  Because  he  was  a  field  trials 
winner  he  was  bred  to  extensively,  but  as  any  person  with  knowledge  of  the 
rudiments  of  breeding  could  have  foretold,  he  got  worse-looking  progeny 
than  he  was  himself.  Cincinnatus  Pride  was  not  a  good-headed  dog,  but 
nevertheless  close  to  the  best  in  those  bad  days  for  the  breed.  Still  the 
judges  of  that  time  would  not  have  him  till  one  day  he  did  well  at  a  field 
trials;  whereupon,  although  he  could  not  be  as  good  a  dog  as  when  younger, 
he  at  once  jumped  from  third  and  V.H.C.  to  first  place  and  went  over  dogs 
that  should  have  beaten  him.  He  was  then  bred  to  very  extensively,  and 
it  is  gratifying  to  say  that  he  materially  improved  the  field  trials  dogs,  it 
being  to  that  class  of  bitches  he  was  mostly  bred.  It  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  he  produced  anything  equal  to  himself  in  general  merit  for 
show  purposes.  It  is  not  so  very  certain  that  those  who  breed  for  type  did 
not  miss  an  opportunity  when  they  overlooked  this  dog,  for  on  his  dam's 
side  he  was  wonderfully  well  bred,  the  lines  running  quickly  to  such  excellent 
setters  as  Rock,  Rum,  Sir  Allister,  Belton,  Fletcher's  Rock,  Novel  and  other 
well-known  setters  of  the  past,  and  if  used  to  good-quality  bitches  he  might 
have  been  a  success. 


134  The  Dog  Book 

Return  to  the  Correct  Type 

The  end  of  the  mixed-up  condition  of  affairs  seemed  to  be  about  1898, 
or  rather  that  was  about  the  beginning  of  the  much-to-be-desired  change 
to  something  more  stable.  Albert's  Woodcock  came  over  that  year  and 
won  through  to  winners'  class  at  New  York,  followed  by  a  dog  of  much 
similar  type.  These  were  English  setters,  dogs  of  substance,  typical  and 
showing  character.  Neither  was  a  wonder,  but  they  were  nearer  to  the 
right  sort  than  we  had  seen  since  Sheldon's  day.  Quite  a  nice  American- 
bred  dog  was  also  shown  in  Highland  Fleet,  though  as  he  was  from  imported 
stock  he  would  under  the  old-time  rule  have  still  been  considered  as  imported, 
as  opposed  to  native.  Fleet  suffered  from  being  somewhat  under  the 
desired  size,  but  showing  much  quality  and  was  well  put  together.  He  did 
not  do  very  well  at  his  first  show,  but  attracted  the  eye  of  Doctor  Hair,  so 
soon  found  another  owner.  His  name  was  not  changed  to  the  ** Albert" 
prefix  and  he  is  known  on  the  records  as  Highland  Fleet,  with  the  addition 
of  "champion."  Like  the  unfortunate  Sheldon,  he  did  not  Hve  long  at  the 
Bridgeport  kennels,  being  poisoned  the  following  year,  but  not  before  he 
left  some  nice  descendants,  some  of  which  were  winners,  and  two  champion- 
ship winners  of  1904  are  but  two  removes  from  him. 

Knight  Errant  was  also  a  very  prominent  dog  in  1900,  though  not  one 
we  altogether  fancied,  and  when  it  came  to  placing  him  over  Barton  Tory  at 
New  York  the  following  year  we  do  think  the  judge  made  a  mistake. 
Barton  Tory  was  not  a  perfect  dog,  especially  in  hind  legs,  but  his  quality 
put  him  in  a  higher  class  than  anything  we  then  had. 

With  the  new  century  came  flush  times  for  the  right  sort  of  setters. 
Mr.  Vandergrift  took  hold  of  the  breed  with  the  thoroughness  that  had 
characterised  his  connection  with  bulldogs  and  soon  had  a  splended  collec- 
tion of  bitches  and  several  good  dogs,  besides  Barton  Tory.  The  latter, 
while  a  very  good  dog,  as  already  stated,  was  frequently  rated  too  high  in 
competition  for  specials  against  the  best  of  other  breeds.  At  Providence 
he  erroneously  won  a  cup  for  the  best  in  the  show.  His  poor  hind- 
quarters were  then  all  too  conspicuous  and  there  were  several  far  more 
perfect  dogs  in  the  ring.  We  were  one  of  a  party  of  six  judges  on  that 
occasion  and  our  vote  was  for  the  mastiff  Prince  of  Wales,  the  others 
voting  for  the  setter  or  a  toy  spaniel.  The  mastiff  eventually  got  the  reserve. 
The  setter  was  then  mated  with  a  far  better  bitch,  and  the  toy  spaniel  in  the 


LORIi    BENTINCK,    TAKEN    WHEN    SEVEN    YEARS    OLD 
One  of  ths  famous  sires  of  recent  days  in  England 


MR.    F.    SHUNK    BROWN'S    ENGLISH    SETTER    EDGEMARK 
A  prominent  winner  a  few  years  ago 


The  English  Setter  135 

previous  class  was  mated  with  a  poorer  one.  The  majority  having  decided  that 
Barton  Tory  was  the  best  dog  in  the  show,  we  of  course  voted  for  him  and  his 
better  mate,  only  to  find  ourselves  once  more  in  the  minority,  the  defeated  toy 
and  his  inferior  mate  getting  the  most  votes.  Several  similar  experiences  fol- 
lowed, and  we  have  ever  since  eschewed  judging  specials  in  mixed  company. 

The  gems  of  Mr.  Vandergrift's  kennel  were  in  the  excellent  collection 
of  bitches,  including  Queen's  Place  Pride,  Queen's  Pride,  Queen's  Flora 
and  one  or  two  others.  At  the  same  time  it  was  not  all  plain  sailing  for  even 
this  good  kennel  for  Mr.  G.  C.  Thomas,  Jr.,  of  Philadelphia,  was  also 
in  the  ring  with  his  Bloomfield  kennels,  which  shortly  included  Mallwyd 
Sirdar,  Stylish  Sergeant,  Dido  B.,  Mepal's  Queen  B.,  Pera,  and  others. 
Mr.  Thomas  was  the  better  stayer  of  the  two  exhibitors,  the  Vancroft 
kennels  being  given  up  the  following  year.  It  looked  lately  as  if  Mr.  Thomas 
was  also  preparing  to  go  on  the  retired  list,  but  fortunately  it  is  not  so,  for 
at  the  close  of  1904  he  purchased  from  Ben  Lewis  his  entire  kennel  of 
English  setters  and  the  latter  will  keep  out  of  the  breed,  only  showing  for 
Mr.  Thomas  for  a  year  from  the  date  of  sale. 

Mr.  Barry,  of  Rye,  is  another  of  the  standard  sort,  holding  to  his  own 
course  in  storm  and  sunshine,  keeping  good  setters  to  look  at  and  good  to 
shoot  over,  and  breeding  a  little  on  lines  that  promise  well,  but  no  one  will 
gainsay  that  the  stick-fast-to-type  is  Doctor  Hair,  and  too  much  credit  can- 
not be  given  him  by  all  who  value  the  perpetuation  of  an  old  breed  in  its 
purity  of  type  for  his  consistent  course  for  so  many  years. 

At  no  time  since  the  early  eighties  has  prospects  for  the  English  setter 
looked  more  favorable  than  at  present.  Show  committees  are  giving  exhibi- 
tors better  judges,  and  whatever  fear  there  was  of  offending  field  trials  men 
has  been  overcome.  Even  if  we  do  occasionally  have  a  judge  who  speaks 
of  two  types  and  thinks  it  right  to  put  one  of  each  in  the  prize  list,  he  does 
not  do  it  to  any  extent.  If  a  man  will  not  judge  to  one  type,  the  type  he 
believes  to  be  correct,  he  has  no  business  in  the  ring,  for  he  is  obliging  some 
exhibitors  at  the  expense  of  others  and  against  what  should  be  his  immovable 
opinion  and  verdict. 

Pedigree  in  Field  Trials  Dogs 

There  seems  to  be  far  more  misconception  as  to  which  line  of  blood  we 
are  more  particularly  indebted  to  for  the  excellence  of  the  dogs  bred  for 


136  The  Dog  Book 

field  sports  and  with  a  view  of  possibly  approaching  field  trials  form,  than 
any  person  not  conversant  with  the  facts  could  imagine  possible.  It  has 
become  so  much  a  matter  of  custom  to  accept  the  dictum  that  we  owe  every- 
thing to  the  original  importations  from  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennels  and  other 
dogs  of  similar  breeding,  that  it  is  generally  believed  that  Gladstone  is  the 
main  reliance  in  pedigrees  and  that  all  modern  field  trials  performers  are 
of  his  family. 

We  cannot  make  any  change  in  the  arranging  of  families  in  dogs  from 
what  is  the  custom  in  grouping  other  animals,  and  therefore  take  the  male 
line  as  authoritative.  We  are  indebted  to  Major  J.  M.  Taylor  for  a  vast 
amount  of  unrequited  labour  in  getting  up  his  book  of  "  Bench  Show  and 
Field  Trials  Records,"  which  covers  the  ground  up  to  the  close  of  1891, 
valuable  statistical  information  being  included  with  the  plain  records. 
Here  we  find,  from  a  thorough  supporter  of  the  Gladstone  family,  a  table  of 
the  successful  get  of  that  dog,  also  what  Count  Noble  accomplished  and 
every  other  sire  of  a  field  trials  winner  or  placed  dog.  Gladstone,  Count 
Noble  and  Roderigo  are  however  taken  out  of  the  alphabetical  sequence  as 
being  dogs  of  prominence  as  sires.  Gladstone  up  to  the  close  of  1891 — he 
was  born  in  1876  and  died  in  1890 — had  sired  twenty-five  dogs,  which  had 
obtained  a  place  in  the  trials.  Count  Noble,  imported  1880,  died  1891,  is 
credited  with  twenty-eight  sons  and  daughters,  and  we  may  say  that  the 
tables  show  the  two  families  as  tied  for  honours,  as  each  had  fourteen  firsts 
and  nineteen  thirds  to  its  credit,  the  only  difference  being  that  Gladstone  led 
by  two  points  on  second  place  and  Count  Noble  by  three  as  to  fourth  place. 
That,  however,  is  the  only  point  where  there  is  an  equality. 

If  we  had  had  to  rely  upon  the  male  descendants  in  that  Gladstone 
record  for  the  carrying  on  of  the  family  honours  it  would  have  been  a  broken 
reed,  for  with  the  exception  of  Paul  Gladstone  not  one  became  famous,  and 
he  to  a  limited  extent  only.  On  the  other  hand,  Count  Noble  sired  such 
remarkable  performers  and  sires  as  Gath,  Roderigo,  Cincinnatus,  and 
Count  Gladstone  IV.  It  is  quite  true  that  Gladstone  bitches  had  much  to 
do  with  the  success  of  Count  Noble,  and  that  it  was  probably  the  latter's 
good  fortune  in  that  respect  that  led  to  his  very  great  success.  Had  the 
tables  been  turned  and  Gladstone  followed  Count  Noble,  the  result  might 
have  been  satisfactory  to  the  admirers  of  the  latter  family,  but  we  cannot 
deal  with  probabilities  and  must  take  the  records  as  we  find  them. 

Gath,  who  died  young,  left  a  few  very  good  dogs  to  carry  on  his  line. 


The  English  Setter  137 

He  was  out  of  a  Gladstone  bitch  and  when  bred  back  to  the  Gladstone  bitch 
Gem  threw  the  htter  in  which  were  Gath's  Mark  and  Gath's  Hope.  This 
line  has  not  been  so  successful  of  late  as  have  others,  however.  Roderigo 
was  a  most  successful  son  of  Count  Noble.  He  also  was  out  of  a  Gladstone 
bitch,  and  we  have  from  him  a  number  of  lines,  prominent  among  them 
being  Antonio,  from  whom  we  had  Rodfield,  Tony  Boy  and  Tony  Gale,  and 
there  is  little  prospect  at  present  of  losing  tracings  to  Antonio  and  Roderigo 
in  the  best  dogs  at  the  field  trials.  Count  Gladstone  IV.  is  bred  like  Roder- 
igo, and  he  was  another  most  successful  sire,  his  son,  Lady's  Count  Glad- 
stone, being  the  phenomenal  sire  of  1904  in  field  trial  records,  no  less  than 
fourteen  placed  dogs  being  by  him,  while  second  to  him  come  Count 
Danstone,  his  litter  brother,  and  Rodfield,  each  with  four  to  his  credit 
during  the  year. 

While  Count  Noble  was  purely  Dan-Laverack,  he  had  an  extra  infusion 
of  Laverack  blood  through  his  sire  Count  Wind'em,  who  was  by  the  Dan- 
Laverack  dog  Count  Dick,  out  of  the  pure  Laverack  Phantom,  a  sister  to 
Petrel,  dam  of  Gladstone.  This  makes  the  Count  Noble  and  Gladstone 
cross  very  close  in-breeding,  for  in  the  pedigree  of  Count  Noble  we  have 
Count  Dick,  already  mentioned,  by  Dan  out  of  Countess,  and  Nora,  the 
dam,  was  by  Dan  out  of  Nellie,  sister  to  Countess.  Then  Phantom  and 
Peeress  the  other  two  bitches  in  the  pedigree  are,  as  already  stated,  full 
sisters. 

Again  we  have  the  dam  of  Lady's  Count  Gladstone  and  Count  Dan- 
stone,  in-bred  also.  This  was  Dan's  Lady,  by  Dan  Gladstone,  son  of 
Gladstone  out  of  the  Druid  bitch  Sue;  and  Lady's  dam  by  Gath's  Mark,  by 
Gath  out  of  Gem,  both  with  a  Gladstone  cross.  In  Dan's  Lady  we  have 
a  cross  of  Dash  III.,  a  dog  that  is  not  Llewellyn  according  to  any  reasonable 
interpretation  of  what  that  word  may  mean.  He  was  bred  by  John  Arm- 
strong, and  was  by  a  Laverack  dog  out  of  Old  Kate,  who  was  by  another 
Laverack  out  of  the  pedigreeless  E.  Armstrong's  Kate.  Dash  III.  became 
quite  prominent  in  pedigrees  of  noted  performers,  and  it  behooved  the 
promoters  of  the  "  Llewellyns  "  to  do  something  to  keep  the  winners  within 
their  fold,  so  they  decided  to  extend  the  pale  and  admit  the  pedigreeless 
Kate  as  worthy  of  becoming  a  progenitor  of  the  commercial  breed.  This 
was  no  novelty  for  a  similar  thing  was  done  in  the  case  of  Dash  II.  and  Sam, 
dogs  introduced  into  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennels  as  out-crosses;  something  he 
was  always  practising,  and  as  soon  as  it  became  evident  that  breeders  were 


138  The  Dog  Book 

climbing  over  the  fence  and  breeding  outside  of  the  already  proscribed 
limits,  the  promoters  met  the  emergency  by  extending  the  limits  and  so 
keep  all  the  good  dogs  as  "Llewellyns." 

To  our  mind  the  excellence  of  the  American  field  dog  is  owing  to  the 
concentration  of  effort  in  the  securing  a  dog  to  suit  the  special  requirements 
in  our  field  trials.  Breeders  have  bred  to  the  winning  dogs  and  kept  on  at 
that,  and  while  there  have  been  thousands  bred  annually  not  worth  feeding, 
yet  out  of  the  great  number  there  were  bound  to  be  some  good  ones. 

Doctor  Rowe  on  the  Llewellyns 

Many  readers  who  have  accepted  the  statements  of  persons  no  better 
informed  than  themselves  regarding  the  Llewellyns  may  perhaps  be  of 
the  opinion  that  we  are  either  incorrect  or  prejudiced  in  what  we  have  pre- 
viously stated  in  the  article  in  Country  Life  in  America.)  already  mentioned, 
and  also  herein.  We  propose  therefore  showing  upon  the  best  authority 
we  can  find  that  everything  we  have  alleged  was  in  1884  made  the  basis  of 
Doctor  Rowe's  attack  upon  Mr.  Buckell  and  other  supporters  of  what 
Doctor  Rowe  characterised  as  a  speculative  breed.  The  late  Doctor  Rowe 
was  for  many  years  editor  of  the  American  Fields  and  his  name  still  stands 
on  its  title  page  as  its  founder,  which  is  not  quite  correct,  as  he  took  over  a 
struggling  paper  some  two  or  three  years  old  and  after  a  few  years  changed 
its  name  to  American  Field.  To-day  it  is  the  staunchest  supporter  of  the 
Llewellyn  cult,  and  in  the  stud  book  which  it  publishes  annually  there  is  a 
section  entitled  Llewellyn  Setters  as  distinguished  from  English  Setters. 

To  paraphrase  a  well-known  proverb,  when  fanciers  fall  out  we  are 
apt  to  hear  some  honest  truths.  At  the  close  of  the  year  1883  Doctor  Rowe 
announced  that  he  would  send  some  setter  puppies  he  had  bred  on  theo- 
retical lines  to  compete  at  the  English  field  trials.  The  result  was  quite  a 
wordy  warfare  with  some  gentlemen  he  had  been  very  friendly  with  in 
the  matter  of  supporting  the  field  trials  strain.  Mr.  Buckell  said  he  was 
not  telling  the  truth  and  the  Doctor  claimed  "he  was  rude  and  personal." 
.  .  .  "A  contributor  to  Land  and  Water  declared  we  had  been  guilty 
of  an  unsportsmanlike  act  in  trying  to  appropriate  the  puppies  as  American- 
bred  dogs;  another  declared  we  knew  more  about  Kentucky  widows  than 
of  breeding  setters,  and  another  pronounced  us  to  be  a  feather-bed  sports- 
man; our  theories  of  breeding  were  declared  vaporous  effusions;  the  Turf, 


The  English  Setter  139 

Field  and  Farm  assailed  us  and  now  Mr.  L.  H.  Smith  declares  we  are  "  a 
bottle  of  soda  water,"  whereupon  the  Doctor  uncorked  himself  and  told 
more  real  truths  about  the  Llewellyn  business  than  has  appeared  in  that 
paper  since  then.  It  is  impossible  to  quote  him  in  the  entirety  as  what  he 
had  to  say  on  the  subject  filled  a  score  of  pages  from  first  to  last,  but  the 
following  extracts  are  pertinent: 

"  When  a  breeder  by  any  peculiar  plan  shall  change  a  breed  of  animals, 
and  that  change  is  uniform  and  can  be  intelligently  defined,  the  group 
admits  of  a  new  classification.  But  Mr.  Buckell  (Mr.  Llewellyn's  right- 
hand  man)  ignores  these  facts  when  he  writes  about  the  Llewellyn  setter  as 
a  breed.  Neither  he  nor  Mr.  Llewellyn  can  show  a  title  to  the  name,  nor 
has  any  attempt  been  made  to  show  what  right  Mr.  Llewellyn  has  to  monopo- 
lise the  breeding  of  the  dogs  he  calls  Llewellyns.  He  bought  Dan  and 
Dick  and  Dora  from  their  breeder  Mr.  Statter;  then  he  purchased  the 
Laverack  setters  Prince,  G)untess,  Nellie,  Lill  IL,  and  others.  Dan, 
Dick  and  Dora  he  called  Llewellyn  setters.  Dora's  puppies  by  a  Laverack 
dog  he  called  Llewellyn  setters.  He  might  as  well  have  called  the  Laverack 
setters  Llewellyns.  If  he  had  a  right  to  call  Dan  a  Llewellyn  setter,  simply 
because  he  owned  him,  any  man  has  the  right  to  class  any  dog  he  may 
purchase  as  of  a  special  new  breed. 

"  But  Mr.  Llewellyn  did  not  stop  with  so  much  monopoly  as  we  have 
mentioned.  He  proclaimed,  or  Mr.  Buckell  did  for  him,  that  every  dog  in 
the  land  which  was  bred  like  Dan  or  Dick  or  Dora,  or  their  progeny,  out  of 
Laverack  setters  were  Llewellyn  setters,  and  it  mattered  not  where  they 
were  owned  or  who  bred  them.  He  went  still  further,  and  claimed  as  his 
breed  all  dogs  out  of  Rhoebe  (a  bitch  he  did  not  breed  or  own)  by  a  Laverack 
dog.  Dogs  by  Duke  (a  dog  he  neither  bred  nor  owned)  out  of  a  Laverack 
setter  bitch  were  his  breed;  dogs  by  Duke  out  of  Rhoebe  were  his  breed; 
the  progeny  of  Duke-Rhoebe  on  the  Laveracks  were  his  breed.  These 
bred  back  again  to  the  Laveracks  or  to  the  other  side  were  his  breed.  It 
does  not  make  any  difference  how  much  Laverack  blood  there  might  be  in  a 
dog  if  the  remotest  part  of  the  pedigree  shows  Duke  or  Rhoebe,  or  Dan  or 
Dora,  or  any  of  the  many  Duke-Rhcebe-Laverack  combinations,  they  are 
his  breed  if  no  other  blood  is  shown.  On  the  other  hand,  it  matters  not  how 
much  Duke  or  Rhoebe  blood,  or  both,  is  present,  a  drop  of  Laverack  makes 
it  Llewellyn. 

"Thus  Rob  Roy,  a  noted  field  trial  dog  which  Mr.  Llewellyn  never 


140  The  Dog  Book 

owned,  a  dog  he  did  not  breed,  a  dog  whose  ancestors  he  never  owned  nor 
bred,  was  according  to  Messrs.  Buckell  and  Llewellyn,  a  Llewellyn  setter. 
Rock,  a  field  trial  winner  in  England,  bred  by  Mr.  Garth,  out  of  Daisy  by 
Field's  Bruce,  was  also  a  Llewellyn  setter,  according  to  Mr.  Llewelyln's 
classification.  Belton,  the  sire  of  Mr.  Sanborn's  crack  field  trial  winner 
Nellie,  was  monopolised  as  a  Llewellyn,  yet  he  was  bred  by  Mr.  Thomas 
Statter,  out  of  Daisy  (not  Llewellyn's),  by  Sykes's  Dash,  a  Laverack  setter. 
Mr.Brewis's  celebrated  Dash  IL,  by  Mr.  Laverack's  Blue  Prince  out  of  Mr. 
John  Armstrong's  Old  Kate,  is  by  Mr.  Llewellyn  claimed  as  his  breed. 
His  excellent  brother  Dash  IIL  is  also,  according  to  Messrs.  Buckell  and 
Llewellyn,  a  Llewellyn  setter;  and  we  might  go  on  at  great  length  and 
show  a  long  list  of  dogs,  bred  by  others,  from  dogs  not  bred  or  owned  by 
Mr,  Llewellyn,  which  that  gentleman  claims  as  his  breed,  without  a  particle 
of  reason. 

"Had  Mr.  Llewellyn  originated  the  Duke-Rhoebe-Laverack  cross 
he  might  have  some  claim  on  the  whole  strain,  but  the  cross  was  made,  and 
its  excellence  proven  before  he  owned  any  of  them.  Nor  is  Mr.  Llewellyn 
entitled  to  any  special  recognition  for  having  continued  to  breed  these 
dogs  exclusively,  for  they  have  been  bred  in  England  and  in  this  country 
by  others,  during  the  whole  time  he  has  been  breeding  them. 

"Has  Mr.  Llewellyn  done  all  that  it  is  claimed  he  has,  and  are  all 
these  dogs,  whose  performances  go  to  swell  the  'Llewellyn  record'  his  dogs  .? 
Most  assuredly  not.  He  has  no  more  right  to  their  record  than  we  have. 
What  Mr.  Laverack,  Mr.  Statter,  Mr.  Garth,  Mr.  Armstrong  and  others 
have  done  in  England  with  their  dogs,  they,  and  not  Mr.  Llewellyn,  are 
entitled  to  credit  for.  And  what  Mr.  Smith,  the  Messrs.  Bryson,  Mr. 
Adams,  Mr.  Sanborn,  Mr.  Bergundthal,  Mr.  Higgins,  Mr.  Dew  and  many 
others  have  done  in  this  country,  they,  and  not  Mr.  Llewellyn,  are  entitled 
to  credit  for." — American  Field y  January  19,  1884. 

Replying  to  a  Canadian  correspondent  in  the  American  Field  of 
February  9,  1884,  Doctor  Rowe  writes:  "Dominion's  assumptions,  when 
brought  face  to  face  with  facts,  furnish  striking  evidence  of  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  claims  of  Mr.  Llewellyn  and  his  followers.  Every  dog  that 
is  of  any  consequence  as  a  field  trials  performer  gets  to  be  a  Llewellyn 
setter.  A  little  investigation  through  the  great  mass  of  'Llewellyn  setter* 
assumption  brings  us  to  a  very  few  commonplace  facts." 

When  Mr.  L.  H.  Smith,  in  the  columns  of  the  Turj^  Field  and  Farm, 


r.  a 


::  > 


The  English  Setter  141 

took  Doctor  Rowe  to  task  he  was  treated  to  a  three-column  reply,  from  which 
we  take  the  following:  "We  have  asked  how  it  is  that  Dan  is  a  Llewellyn 
setter  when  he  is  a  Duke-Rhoebe  and  nothing  else;  how  it  is  that  dogs  which 
are  not  Duke-Rhoebe  can  be  Llewellyns;  and  how  if  Duke-Rhcebe-Laverack 
equals  a  Llewellyn,  Duke-Laverack,  or  Rhoebe-Laverack  can  equal  the  same 
thing.  The  question  was  asked  in  all  seriousness,  and  the  reply  is:  'Your 
statements  are  vaporous  effusions' — 'You  know  more  about  Kentucky 
widows  than  about  breeding  setters' — 'You  are  a  feather-bed  sportsman' 
— 'You  are  one  of  those  talkative,  effervescing  little  fellows' — 'You  are  a 
bottle  of  soda  water.' 

"We  now  have  another  question  to  ask,  and  if  Messrs.  Buckell  and 
Llewellyn  cannot  answer  it,  perhaps  Mr.  Smith  can.  Admitting  that  Mr. 
Llewellyn  has  a  right  to  the  title  he  claims,  that  all  combinations  of  Duke- 
Rhoebe-Laverack  are  Llewellyns,  how  can  he  claim  the  progeny  of  Dash  IL 
to  be  Llewellyns  when  they  have  other  blood  than  that  to  which  the  so-called 
Llewellyn  breed  was  limited  by  the  definition  .?  We  can  ask  a  great  many 
other  questions  as  difficult  for  Messrs.  Buckell,  Llewellyn  and  Smith  to 
answer  satisfactorily,  but  we  have  asked  sufficient  for  the  present;  when 
Mr.  Smith  and  his  friends  answer  those  which  have  been  asked  it  will  be 
time  to  ask  the  others." — American  Field,  May  lo,  1884. 

"We  repeat  Mr.  Llewellyn  has  not  any  right  to  the  title  which  he  has 
claimed,  and  the  idea  that  the  term  'Llewellyn  setter'  has  served  as  the  ex- 
ponent of  a  principle  is  absurd.  In  the  first  place,  as  we  have  said  before, 
Mr.  Llewellin  was  not  the  originator  of  the  plan  of  breeding  the  setters  he 
claims  as  his  own;  he  borrowed  it;  Messrs.  Statter  and  Field  had  bred  in 
the  manner  Mr.  Llewellyn  began  to  breed  before  Mr.  Llewellyn  owned  any 
one  of  the  dogs  which  he  afterward  bred  from. 

"When  we  published  the  letters  proposing  that  the  title  should  be  con- 
ferred on  Mr.  Llewellyn,  we  were  asked  to  endorse  the  claim,  which  we 
positively  refused  to  do  and  did  not  do  for  the  reason  that  we  did  not  con- 
sider Mr.  Llewellyn  entitled  to  it,  and  regarded  it  as  cheap  veneer,  an 
imitation  of  Mr.  Laverack."  .  .  .  "That  we  admitted  the  title  to  the 
dogs  and  styled  them  by  it  in  our  columns  is  not  any  more  evidence  that  we 
endorsed  it  than  that  we  endorsed  it  when  we  published  the  letters  conferring 
the  title.  We  received  several  private  letters  at  the  time  asking  if  we 
approved  of  it,  to  which  we  replied  we  decidedly  did  not."     .     .     .     "The 


142  The  Dog  Book 

dogs  were  not  then  popular  (1878),  excepting  among  a  few  who  owned 
them,  consequently  there  were  not  those  who,  although  they  ridiculed  the 
idea,  yet  took  sufficient  interest  in  the  matter  to  oppose  it  quickly.  The 
title  therefor  came  into  use,  and  we  used  it  and  admitted  it  into  our 
columns  the  same  as  we  did  and  do  many  other  vulgarisms,  as  for  in- 
stance the  term  prairie  chicken  for  pinnated  grouse." — American  Field, 
April  26,  1884. 

In  the  article  last  quoted  from.  Doctor  Rowe  said  that  Messrs.  Buckell 
and  Llewellyn  were  speculative  breeders,  by  which  he  meant  that  they  had 
no  staple  method,  but  brought  in  various  outside  blood.  A  correspondent 
replied  to  this  and  said  that  when  he  visited  Mr.  Llewellyn's  kennels,  in 
1875,  the  dogs  were  a  mixed  lot.  To  his  eyes,  there  were  too  many  extremes 
in  size  and  quality  to  show  what  was  being  bred  for.  In  1882  he  again  visited 
the  kennels  and  found  that  there  was  a  vast  improvement.  The  dogs  were 
larger  and  more  of  one  definite  type.  Doctor  Rowe  twisted  his  correspond- 
ent's statements  to  suit  what  he  had  previously  written  and  finishes  his 
editorial  foot-note  to  the  letter  with  this  sentence :  "  We  know  Mr.  Llewellyn 
wrote  Mr.  A.  H.  Moore  that  he  sent  only  his  culls  to  America;  that  doubtless 
accounts  for  the  evenness  of  the  dogs  described  and  the  unevenness  of  those 
we  have  seen." 

These  were  the  pertinent  and  never  answered  statements  of  the  editor 
of  the  most  aggressive  kennel  journal  in  the  country  at  that  time,  and  they 
were  penned  when  all  the  facts  regarding  the  introduction  and  pedigrees  as 
well  as  the  giving  the  name  were  thoroughly  well  known  to  readers  of  kennel 
and  sportsmen's  papers.  Now,  at  this  late  date,  when  so  many  of  the  actors 
in  the  events  of  that  period  are  no  more,  and  others  are  on  the  non-combatant 
list,  searchers  after  truth  are  misled  on  every  hand  and  seemingly  have  no 
option  but  to  believe  what  was  twenty  years  pilloried  as  erroneous  and 
without  foundation  in  fact.  Even  the  American  Field  itself,  regardless 
of  the  dictum  of  its  old  editor,  has  switched  as  the  following  from  its  issue 
of  January  7,  1905,  clearly  shows:  "It  will  be  remembered  that  a  protest 
was  made  against  awarding  the  special  prize  of  twenty-five  dollars,  offered 
by  Mr.  J.  A.  Graham  for  the  best  straightbred  [this  is  incorrect,  there  was 
nothing  as  to  straightbred  in  the  conditions  announced  regarding  the 
special,  simply  best  Llewellyn  setter  dog]  at  the  World's  Fair  to  Bracken 
O'Leck.  The  matter  was  referred  to  the  American  Field,  and  it  decided 
that  Bracken  O'Leck  is  not  a  Llewellyn  setter,  for  the  very  reason  that  he 


X,. 


V-  ^  » 


MR.  RIPLINGER'S    ENGLISH    SETTER    BITCH    PERA 

A  prominent  Eastern  winner  before  bein^-  sent  to  Mr.  RipHnger's  Seattle  kennels 


4 


Photo  by  Schreiber 


MR.    RIPLINGER's    ENGLISH    SETTER    ELLOREE 

Also  a  leading  winner  at   Eastern  dog  shows,   now   at  Seattle.   Wash. 


Photo  by  Schreiber 


The  English  Setter  143 

has  blood  in  his  veins  other  than  the  Duke-Rhoebe-Kate-Laverack."  Of 
course,  not  being  confined  to  those  Hnes,  he  could  not  be  a  "Llewellyn." 
That  is  true  enough,  but  if  his  breeding  had  been  within  those  lines  the 
decision  would  have  been  the  other  way;  a  way  that  Doctor  Rowe  would 
not  have  decided  it  in  1884,  when  he  said  Mr.  Llewellyn  had  not  a  particle 
of  reason  to  claim  the  Kate  line,  even  admitting  the  Duke-Rhcebe-Laverack, 
which  was  merely  a  borrowed  idea  from  older  breeders. 

There  is  a  virtue  in  choosing  your  own  referee  as  was  done  in  this 
case,  and  that  reminds  us  of  a  still  more  sudden  reversal  of  opinions.  About 
1874  C.  J.  Foster  was  supplanted  as  editor  of  the  Spirit  of  the  Times  by 
Mr.  J.  H.  Saunders,  who  had  had  little  experience  in  the  then  important 
duty  on  sporting  papers  of  deciding  wagers.  The  result  was  that  he 
reversed  certain  rulings  which  had  for  years  been  taken  advantage  of  by 
clever  betters,  who  knew  that  the  Spirit  decided  one  way  and  the  Clipper 
the  reverse.  One  was  the  value  of  a  certain  throw  with  dice,  and  this  Mr. 
Saunders  changed  to  the  Clipper  decision,  and  the  loser  came  to  us  about 
it,  as  we  were  then  on  the  paper.  Our  advice  was  to  follow  the  ruling  of 
the  new  editor  and  have  another  question  referred  to  the  Spirit.  And  this 
he  did,  but  in  the  meanwhile  Mr.  Saunders  had  received  so  many  letters 
calling  his  attention  to  the  "error"  that  when  the  question  cropped  up 
next  week  he  went  back  to  the  old  decision,  and  the  twice  loser  came  in  hot 
haste  with  the  paper  containing  it.  The  advice  this  time  was  to  mark 
both  papers  and  send  them  with  a  note  to  Mr.  George  Wilkes,  the  proprietor, 
with  a  statement  of  the  facts.  This  he  did,  and  Wilkes,  knowing  the  im- 
portance of  this  department  of  the  paper,  at  once  sent  his  check  for  the 
hundred  dollars,  with  a  strong  expression  of  regret;  then  he  had  a  talk 
with  Mr.  Saunders,  and  the  department  was  turned  over  to  us  to  run  on  the 
familiar  Hnes  on  all  questions,  except  to  formally  state  that  the  decision 
regarding  the  man  and  the  squirrel  in  the  tree  was  to  be  changed,  and  after 
that  the  man  never  walked  around  the  squirrel,  dodging  on  the  opposite 
side,  at  least  in  the  Spirit's  columns. 

Had  Doctor  Rowe  been  as  firm  a  man  as  George  Wilkes  he  would  have 
got  rid  of  the  term  Llewellyn,  just  as  George  Wilkes  stamped  out  timing 
fractions  in  trotting  records.  These  would  be  reported  in  fifths  and  other 
fractions,  but  the  office  rule  was  that  quarters  could  alone  be  used,  and 
every  report  was  changed  to  conform  therewith.  Other  papers  copied 
the  Spirity  and  sportsmen  after  that  would  buy  only  quarter-second  timing 


144  The  Dog  Book 

watches.  To  be  consistent,  Doctor  Rowe  should  have  copied  Stonehenge 
and  called  these  setters  Dan-Laveracks  and  altered  the  term  Llewellyn  in 
every  published  communication,  but  unfortunately  he  did  not. 

Points  of  a  Good  Seiter 

The  many  excellent  illustrations  we  give  of  dogs  known  for  their  good 
points  is  a  far  better  education  than  any  supposed-to-be  typical  drawing. 
In  all  dogs  there  are  possibilities  of  improvement,  and  in  some  of  our  illus- 
trations of  even  the  best  dogs  the  reader,  if  he  possesses  the  eye  for  symmetry 
and  proportion,  will  be  able  to  detect  faults  in  conformation.  They  are 
also  vastly  superior  to  attempting  to  educate  by  the  "standard"  alone, 
however  clear  the  description  of  what  is  desirable  may  be.  By  taking  the 
standard  and  looking  carefully  at  the  illustrations,  point  by  point,  the 
seeker  for  light  will  surely  reach  the  desired  end.  There  have  been  several 
standards,  more  than  one  having  been  made  to  fit  certain  dogs  and  foist  a 
totally  wrong  type  of  setter  upon  breeders.  Very  fortunately,  these  never 
met  with  support,  each  in  turn  being  dropped,  and  the  one  which  was  lately 
adopted  by  breeders  and  exhibitors  of  the  correct  type,  is  short,  concise  and 
readily  understood.  It  is  that  adopted  by  the  English  Setter  Club  of 
America : 

''Head. — Should  be  long  and  lean,  with  a  well-defined  stop.  The 
skull  oval  from  ear  to  ear,  showing  plenty  of  brain  room,  and  with  a  well- 
defined  occipital  protuberance.  The  muzzle  moderately  deep  and  fairly 
square;  from  the  stop  to  the  point  of  the  nose  should  be  long,  the  nostrils 
wide,  and  the  jaws  of  equal  length ;  flews  not  to  be  pendulous,  but  of  sufficient 
depth  to  give  a  squareness  to  the  muzzle;  the  colour  of  the  nose  should  be 
black,  or  dark,  or  light  liver,  according  to  the  colour  of  the  coat.  The 
eyes  should  be  bright,  mild,  and  intelligent,  and  of  a  dark  hazel  colour — the 
darker  the  better.  The  ears  of  moderate  length,  set  on  low  and  hanging  in 
neat  folds  close  to  the  cheek;  the  tip  should  be  velvety,  the  upper  part 
clothed  with  fine  silky  hair. 

"Neck. — Should  be  rather  long,  muscular  and  lean,  slightly  arched  at 
the  crest,  and  clean  cut  where  it  joins  the  head;  toward  the  shoulder  it 
should  be  larger  and  very  muscular,  not  throaty,  though  the  skin  is  loose 
below  the  throat,  elegant  and  blood-like  in  appearance. 

**Body. — Should  be  of  moderate  length,  with  shoulders  well  set  back. 


The  English  Setter  145 

or  oblique;  back  short  and  level;  loins  wide,  slightly  arched,  strong  and 
muscular.  Chest  deep  in  the  brisket,  with  ribs  well  sprung  back  of  elbows 
with  good  depth  of  back  ribs. 

"Legs  and  Feet. — Stifles  well  bent  and  strong,  thighs  long  from  hip  to 
hock.  The  forearm  big  and  very  muscular,  the  elbow  well  let  down. 
Pastern  short,  muscular  and  straight.  The  feet  very  close  and  compact, 
and  well  protected  by  hair  between  the  toes. 

"  Tail. — The  tail  should  be  set  on  slightly  below  the  line  of  the  back, 
almost  in  a  line  with  the  back,  to  be  carried  straight  from  the  body,  a  curve 
in  any  direction  objectionable;  should  not  extend  below  the  hocks  when 
brought  down,  shorter  more  desirable,  not  curly  or  ropy;  the  flag  or  feather 
hanging  in  long  pendant  flakes.  The  feather  should  not  commence  at  root, 
but  slightly  below,  and  increase  in  length  to  the  middle,  then  gradually 
taper  off  toward  the  end;  and  the  hair  long,  bright,  soft  and  silky,  wavy  but 
not  curly. 

"  Symmetry^  Coat  and  Feathering. — The  coat  should  be  straight,  long 
and  silky  (a  slight  wave  admissible),  which  should  be  the  case  with  the 
breeches  and  forelegs,  which,  nearly  down  to  the  feet,  should  be  well  feathered. 

"Colour  and  Markings. — The  colour  may  be  either  white  and  black, 
white  and  orange,  white  and  lemon,  white  and  liver,  or  tri-colour,  that  is, 
white,  black  and  tan;  those  without  heavy  patches  of  colour  on  the  body, 
but  flecked  all  over,  preferred." 

Scale  of  Points 

Head 20  Tail 5 

Neck 5  Symmetry,      coat    and 

Body 25              feathering 20 

Legs  and    feet 20  Colour  and  Markings  .  .  5 

Total 100 


CHAPTER  VIII 


Training  a  Field  Dog 


INNUMERABLE  are  the  books  on  the  subject  of  training 
dogs  for  shooting,  yet  the  general  principles  are  the  same  that 
were  told  more  than  three  hundred  years  ago.  Changes 
in  the  method  of  capture  have  called  for  changes  in  the 
duties  of  the  dogs  used  for  finding  the  game,  but  the  ground 
plan  is  the  same  as  it  was  probably  four  hundred  years  ago,  and  since  then 
it  is  only  additional  stories  of  education  on  the  old  foundation.  The  subject 
is  not  a  complex  one  by  any  means  and  no  one  method  is  the  Simon-pure  to 
the  exclusion  of  all  others.  Like  the  adding  of  a  column  of  figures,  one 
man  does  it  from  top  to  foot  and  another  goes  up  the  column.  It  is  not 
the  method,  but  the  care  exercised  in  applying  the  method,  which  insures 
in  each  case  the  correctness  of  the  total.  So  also  in  the  training  of  a  dog, 
each  of  a  dozen  books  on  the  subject  varies  slightly  from  the  others,  but  all 
arrive  at  the  same  end  of  obedience  inculcated  and  certain  things  ac- 
complished. 

The  education  of  a  child  is  not  attained  in  a  year  or  two,  nor  do  we 
expect  a  neglected  child  to  accomplish  solely  on  account  of  his  age  what 
another  gradually  educated  one  can  do.  We  must  approach  the  subject 
of  dog  training  rationally  and  with  the  thorough  understanding  that  while 
compared  with  many  animals  the  dog  is  exceedingly  intelligent,  he  is  yet  an 
exceedingly  ignorant  one  when  compared  with  the  human  family.  He  is 
an  animal  you  cannot  argue  with,  nor  is  it  any  use  telling  him  why  he  must 
not  do  a  certain  thing  or  why  he  must  do  something  in  a  certain  way. 
You  have  to  make  him  do  the  things  required  of  him  in  the  way  desired 
and  check  him  when  he  goes  wrong  till  the  one  way  becomes  habit,  and  he 
knows  he  will  be  punished  if  he  does  anything  else. 

In  these  days  when  well-bred  dogs  are  so  exceedingly  cheap,  it  is  well 
to  spend  a  little  money  in  getting  the  right  sort  of  dog  to  train,  A  great 
many  people  imagine  that  because  a  dog  has  a  pretty  good  pedigree  he  must 
necessarily  prove  a  good  field  dog.     It  is  the  same  in  dogs  as  with  us,  and 

M7 


148  The  Dog  Book 

brilliant  parents  all  too  frequently  have  children  in  no  ways  their  equals, 
so  also  well-built  parents  do  not  always  have  equally  symmetrical  children, 
though  that  is  the  case  much  more  so  than  in  dogs  as  a  rule. 

Presuming  that  the  would-be  trainer  is  about  selecting  a  puppy  upon 
which  to  try  his  skill,  and  the  breeding  of  a  certain  litter  or  dog  suits  him, 
as  promising  good  results,  then  let  him  satisfy  himself  that  the  dog  is  shaped 
so  that  he  can  gallop  with  ease  and  freedom,  if  of  an  age  to  run  at  speed; 
or  if  too  young  for  that,  see  that  he  stands  straight  in  front,  has  good  bone, 
a  short  back  and  is  well  crooked  in  hind  legs.  A  dog  straight  behind  is 
almost  invariably  wrong  in  shoulders,  and  anyway  if  he  cannot  reach  well 
forward  with  his  hind  legs  he  will  prove  a  poor  gallopper.  Stress  is  laid 
upon  formation,  because  no  matter  if  one  sees  field  trials  winners  in  all 
sorts  of  shapes,  that  is  no  argument  that  they  do  better  than  if  they  were 
better  made,  or  as  well.  There  are  plenty  of  well-made  dogs  incapable  of 
doing  good  work  in  the  field  just  as  we  find  many  strong,  muscular  men 
quite  incapable  of  continued  exertion  or  of  standing  severe  punishment. 
We  know  that  certain  conformations  are  not  conducive  to  speed  in  animals 
and  there  is  little  use  selecting  a  puppy  with  radical  faults  in  that  respect 
when  there  are  plenty  of  others  in  the  market.  Good  health  is  another 
necessity,  and  it  will  be  well  to  find  out  that  the  parents  are  strong  consti- 
tutioned  dogs,  vigorous  and  healthy.  A  bad  constitutioned  dog  eats  poorly 
and  works  poorly  and  should  be  left  alone. 

In  some  works  on  training  the  first  lessons  are  devoted  to  a  good  many 
simple  things  which  are  just  as  much  associated  with  field  work  as  is  the 
a,  b,  c  a  hand-book  for  a  college  course.  If  the  setter  or  pointer  has 
not  before  he  is  six  or  eight  months  old  been  taught  to  come  at  call  or  become 
accustomed  to  the  collar  and  chain,  we  may  well  ask  what  the  dog's  owner 
has  been  thinking  about.  "Here,  puppy;  come,  puppy"  was  the  first 
start  in  the  education  of  the  field  dog,  just  as  a-b,  ab  was  the  start  of  the 
college  graduate's  education.  Training  simply  consists  in  the  dog  doing 
what  he  has  been  ordered  to  do,  the  recognition  of  the  man  as  the  director 
of  his  ways  and  one  that  must  be  obeyed.  Not  only  must  the  puppy  come 
promptly  to  his  master  when  called,  but  he  must  get  in  the  habit  of  obeying 
him  in  ways  that  are  not  quite  as  much  to  his  liking,  such  as  being  taken 
for  a  walk  and  then  ordered  home,  going  to  his  kennel  when  so  ordered,  and 
all  in  obedience  to  order  and  long  before  any  course  of  training  is  taken  up. 
Wearing  a  collar  and  leading  on  chain  are  plain  dog  education  and  not 


Training  a  Field  Dog  149 

connected  with  field  work,  but  in  the  case  of  setters  and  pointers  it  is  essential 
that  the  dog  on  chain  should  keep  slightly  behind  his  leader.  While 
making  him  take  and  keep  that  position,  by  switching  him  on  the  nose 
whenever  he  attempts  to  get  ahead,  and  using  the  word  "heel,"  he  will 
become  accustomed  to  that  word  of  usual  command  for  a  dog  to  take  up  that 
position  and  not  have  to  learn  anything  new. 

It  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  dog  associates  a  certain  sound  as  con- 
nected with  a  certain  action.  "Heel"  is  to  him  nothing  but  a  sound,  and 
a  dog  used  to  obey  that  command  will  do  so  equally  well  if  "  feel "  or  "  deal " 
is  shouted  to  him.  This  is  a  point  that  must  also  be  noted  in  the  selection 
of  words  of  command  which  should  be  thoroughly  distinct  so  that  the  dog 
will  not  have  to  seek  for  some  action  to  distinguish  what  is  meant.  For 
instance  some  recommend  that  in  addition  to  the  long  established  "to-ho" 
as  a  command  to  stop,  that  for  going  on  should  be  "go  on." 

One  man  gives  his  particular  rendering  of  these  two  words,  and  another 
person  taking  the  dog  out  might  make  his  "go  on"  very  much  of  a  "to-ho" 
and  confuse  the  dog,  so  that  the  words  "hie  on,"  being  clearly  distinct, are 
much  better  and  they  are  in  common  use.  It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  add 
that  but  one  phrase  only  should  be  used  for  any  one  command,  for  it  is  not 
the  words  that  convey  the  order,  that  is  the  meaning  of  the  words  such  as 
they  are  to  us,  but  merely  the  sound. 

Presuming  that  the  owner  has  a  puppy  of  from  six  to  eight  months 
old  which  he  finds  to  be  intelligent  and  willing,  and  prompt  in  obeying 
orders  such  as  all  dogs  have  to  obey,  and  is  desirous  of  training  him  for 
use  with  the  gun,  it  is  necessary  to  go  to  work  with  system,  and  unless  the 
trainer  is  possessed  of  a  great  deal  of  patience  and  is  willing  to  undertake 
the  compelling  the  dog  to  do  what  he  is  ordered  to  do  without  in  anyway 
getting  out  of  temper,  he  had  better  not  attempt  it.  It  frequently  arises 
that  a  bold,  heady  dog  is  averse  to  doing  exactly  what  is  wanted  and  in  the 
way  it  must  be  done.  In  order  to  assert  the  trainer's  absolute  supremacy 
the  dog  must  be  made  to  submit.  If  once  the  dog  succeeds  in  defying  the 
trainer  and  having  his  own  way  there  is  always  the  danger  of  that  happening 
again,  and  the  dog  must  never  be  allowed  to  even  imagine  he  has  succeeded 
in  defying  his  master.  Herein  lies  the  secret  of  successful  training,  and 
while  a  dog  undoubtedly  takes  great  pleasure  in  his  work,  there  must  ever 
^e  with  him  the  knowledge  that  he  is  doing  it  as  he  has  been  made  to  do  it 
\d  must  conform  to  order. 


150  The  Dog  Book 

Whether  it  is  advisable  to  gradually  develop  the  young  puppy  and  at  an 
early  age  teach  him  some  of  the  lessons  pertaining  to  the  broken  dog,  is  a 
much  discussed  question,  and  those  who  have  trained  dogs  differ  materially 
in  their  opinions.  We  have  seen  young  puppies  taught  to  death,  one  might 
say,  in  yard  breaking,  as  that  part  of  the  training  is  called  which  precedes 
the  actual  field  work.  Such  overtrained  puppies  far  too  often  lose  all 
self-reliance  and  are  perpetually  on  the  look  out  for  orders  by  sound  or 
signal,  the  result  of  too  early  training  and  continual  ordering.  The  natural 
spirit  of  the  dog  should  be  fostered  and  the  education  consist  in  learning 
the  lesson  of  strict  obedience  to  order  when  one  is  given,  and  not  for  the 
dog  to  be  perpetually  depending  upon  or  expecting  an  order.  For  that 
reason  many  consider  that  it  is  better  to  leave  the  advanced  training  lessons 
till  such  time  as  a  regular  course  of  instruction  can  be  given  at  an  age  when 
the  puppy's  mental  powers  have  been  well  developed  and  continue  the 
series  of  lessons  till  his  education  is  complete.  This  is  feasible  and  for 
several  reasons,  the  main  one  being  that  the  course  of  training  leaves  no 
gaps  during  which  there  is  likely  to  be  a  lapse  and  part  of  the  work  have  to 
be  gone  over  again,  in  order  to  bring  the  pupil  up  to  the  requirements  of 
a  further  lesson. 

As  we  have  already  stated,  teaching  the  dog  to  come  at  call  or  whistle, 
to  wear  a  collar  or  to  lead  on  chain  without  pulling  is  simple  dog  education 
and  is  applicable  to  every  dog,  so  that  it  is  not  to  be  considered  part  of  the 
education  of  a  field  dog.  There  is  only  one  suggestion,  however,  that  should 
not  be  overlooked  and  that  is  that  the  use  of  the  whistle  should  be  regulated 
as  are  the  words  of  command,  and  by  that  we  mean  one  style  for  each  com- 
mand. Now  the  most  frequent  use  of  the  whistle  while  in  the  field  is  that 
when  a  dog  is  wanted  to  change  his  course  and  it  is  well  to  make  one  blast 
do  for  that:  a  simple  attracting  attention  to  be  followed  by  the  motion 
for  a  change  of  course.  It  is  therefore  obvious  that  to  call  a  dog  in,  more 
than  one  blast  should  be  given  even  from  the  first  time  of  calling  the  dog 
in  that  manner. 

The  first  field  dog  training  lesson  begins  with  the  order  to  stop  and 
this  should  be  begun  with  the  dog  on  lead  and  at  heel.  Let  the  trainer  when 
walking  stop  with  the  word  "to-ho."  We  advise  the  use  of  that  word, 
simply  for  the  reason  that  it  has  been  the  signal  used  from  the  very  earliest 
times,  has  become  common  and  it  does  as  well  as  anything  else,  besides  it 
is  a  good  sonorous  sound  to  launch  at  a  dog  at  a  distance.     Let  this  be 


Training  a  Field  Dog  151 

repeated  till  it  seems  reasonable  that  the  dog  connects  the  stopping  with  the 
word  as  an  order.  Then  change  the  ordinary  lead  for  a  longer  cord  and 
proceed  with  the  walk  and  the  dog  at  heel.  Give  the  order,  accompanied 
with  a  wave  of  the  hand,  "hie-on,"  learned  in  teaching  the  dog  to  follow 
at  heel.  When  he  has  gone  a  few  strides  give  him  the  "to-ho,"  and  if  he 
fails  to  stop,  check  him  with  a  sharp  tug  of  the  cord,  repeating  the  command 
sharply.  Walk  up  to  him  and  again  send  him  on,  and  as  before  "to-ho'* 
till  he  stops  at  the  word,  when  he  must  at  once  be  rewarded  with  some  little 
dainty  from  the  pocket,  a  few  words  of  praise  and  a  little  petting.  It  need 
hardly  be  said  that  in  order  to  permit  nothing  to  distract  the  dog's  attention 
this  and  all  other  lessons  should  be  given  when  no  other  person  or  dog  is 
anywhere  near.  As  soon  as  he  has  successfully  obeyed  the  order  two  or  three 
times  give  him  a  free  run  and  then  calling  him  by  signal  order  him  to  heel. 
He  is  now  without  the  check  cord  and  the  next  lesson  is  to  be  given  in  that 
manner.  Again  he  is  ordered  on  and  as  before,  but  at  a  slightly  further  dis- 
tance is  **  to-hoed."  Should  he  fail  to  obey  he  must  be  called  in,  rated  and 
made  to  understand  that  he  has  done  wrong.  Try  it  again  and  if  he  again 
fails,  then  apply  the  check  cord  and  so  continue  until  he  has  learned  the 
lesson  well.  This  done,  go  no  further  for  that  day,  for  it  is  by  easy  stages 
only  that  the  desired  end  can  be  accomplished. 

The  next  day's  lesson  begins  with  that  already  learned  and  the  dog  at 
heel  is  ordered  on  wth  the  accompanying  wave  of  the  hand  and  checked 
with  "to-ho"  and  there  is  not  likely  to  be  much  trouble  in  getting  him  to 
obey.  If  there  is  then  the  cord  must  be  brought  into  use  until  he  will  stop 
at  the  word.  The  next  step  is  to  throw  a  piece  of  bread  or  biscuit  at  the 
same  time  ordering  **  hie-on,"  although  he  is  very  sure  to  want  to  go  anyway; 
still  it  is  as  well  to  let  him  perhaps  think  he  is  going  because  of  the  order. 
Before  he  reaches  the  object  *'to-ho"  him  and  if  he  obeys  and  stops  talk 
kindly  to  him,  with  an  occasional  "steady"  and  then  another  *' hie-on"  to 
let  him  get  his  reward.     Then  call  him  in  and  pet  him  with  good  words. 

Thus  far  the  dog,  having  been  facing  from  you,  has  had  to  obey  the 
word,  and  now  it  is  in  order  to  teach  him  the  signal  which  should  accompany 
that  word.  To  do  this  the  order  has  to  be  given  when  the  dog  is  coming 
toward  you  on  recall  to  heel  or  to  come  in  to  you.  When  about  ten  yards 
from  you  give  the  "to-ho,"  at  the  same  time  raising  the  hand,  palm  toward 
the  dog,  a  little  above  the  level  of  the  head.  If  he  fails  to  obey  and  comes 
to  you,  he  must  be  spoken  to  sharply  and  taken  back  to  the  place  where 


152  The  Dog  Book 

he  should  have  stopped,  turned  facing  you  and  scolded.  Back  away  from 
him,  holding  the  hand  raised,  with  the  admonition  "to-ho"  till  you  have  got 
to  your  old  position.  Then  call  him  in  and  check  him  again  before  he 
reaches  you.  On  no  account  must  this  or  any  other  lesson  be  discontinued 
till  the  dog  has  done  what  is  wanted.  Either  the  dog  or  you  is  to  be  master, 
and  unless  he  is  made  to  obey  he  will  never  acknowledge  you  as  his  complete 
master,  but  whenever  so  inclined  will  do  or  not  as  he  pleases.  Observe 
that  as  soon  as  the  dog  stops  the  hand  should  be  lowered.  That  is  an  accom- 
paniment of  the  vocal  order  and  the  order  is  not  repeated  if  the  dog  stops. 
As  the  dog  becomes  accustomed  to  the  voice  and  sign  as  being  the  same 
order  he  will  next  be  advanced  to  obeying  the  sign  without  the  word. 

Far  too  many  amateur  trainers  are  prone  to  continual  ordering  until 
the  ordeal  must  worry  the  dog,  hence  use  discretion  in  the  training,  teach 
the  dog  what  you  are  then  doing  till  he  does  it,  after  which  gradually  restrict 
the  orders,  as  long  as  he  obeys  them,  until  they  are  used  only  when  required. 

It  was  formerly  the  custom  to  almost  replace  the  "to-ho"  with  the 
"down  charge,"  the  dog  dropping  prone  in  his  tracks,  but  that  has  fallen 
more  or  less  into  disuse.  It  is  true  that  a  dog  couched  is  not  so  apt  to  break 
to  shot  or  wing  as  a  beginner  standing  and  in  a  better  position  to  spring  for- 
ward, but  that  is  something  the  dog  must  be  broken  from,  and  if  a  dog  gets 
too  much  of  the  down  charge  education  and  drops  at  commands  or  signals 
meant  for  "to-ho"  only,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  locate  the  dog  or  to  see  what 
he  is  doing  if  there  are  weeds  or  brush  where  he  is.  It  is  something  he 
should  be  taught,  however,  as  it  comes  in  useful  when  it  is  desirable  to  have 
the  dog  get  out  of  sight  or  to  remain  down  and  quite  near  the  shooter  in  a 
blind.  It  was  really  an  order  called  for  by  the  old  time,  slow  loading-gun, 
but  with  the  modern  breechloader  and  filled  cartridges  there  is  not  the 
necessity  to  hold  dogs  up  and  keep  them  quiet  that  existed  formerly.  Still 
it  is  useful  at  times,  is  easily  taught 'and  as  it  is  frequently  needed  when 
silence  is  desirable,  it  is  well  to  have  it  thoroughly  learned  by  signal. 

"Down"  is  sufficient  word  of  command  and  means  what  you  want, 
while  "charge"  is  arbitrary  in  this  meaning.  When  the  dog  is  perfect  in 
the  "to-ho,"  give  him  that  command  when  coming  to  you  and  but  a  few 
paces  from  you.  Walk  to  him  and  placing  the  hand  on  the  shoulders, 
push  him  down,  with  the  command  "Down."  Step  back  and  if  he  attempts 
to  rise  repeat  the  order  sharply  and  again  push  him  down,  giving  him  a 
rap  with  your  finger  on  his  nose  as  you  repeat  the  order.     When  he  has 


Training  a  Field  Dog  153 

learned  this  he  has  then  to  learn  the  signal.  Let  him  come  to  you  as  before, 
stop  him  with  the  uplifted  hand,  then  order  "Down"  at  the  same  time 
motioning  with  the  hand.  The  endeavour  here  is  to  get  the  dog  to  drop  to 
but  one  motion  of  the  hand,  with  head  up.  This  lesson  accomplished  the 
finishing  one  is  when  the  dog  is  down  to  motion,  to  go  to  him  and  push  his 
head  down  on  his  paws,  with  the  order  "Close."  The  sign  motion  for 
this  is  repeated  downward  motions  of  the  hand.  We  thus  have  the  three 
hand  signals  in  unison  and  natural  in  their  order  and  motion.  The  hand 
aloft  and  stationary  meaning  to  stop  and  stand  still,  the  one  downward 
motion  to  drop  to  the  ground  with  head  held  naturally,  and  the  urgent  repe- 
tition of  the  downward  motion  to  get  closer  and  stay  quiet.  Some  teach 
the  word  "up"  as  a  signal  to  rise,  but  that  is  needless  and  is  better  kept 
for  the  retrieving  lesson.  A  chirrup  or  a  snap  of  the  fingers  will  start  the 
dog  from  his  prone  position  readily  enough,  or  the  "hie  on"  if  he  is  to  go 
forward  or  the  wave  of  the  hand  as  that  signal. 

So  far  the  education  of  the  dog  has  been  such  that  it  is  frequently  done 
before  the  dog  is  taken  to  the  field,  and  is  therefore  called  yard  breaking. 
A  yard-broken  dog  is  one  that  to  word  or  signal  will  come  to  heel,  go  ahead, 
stop  and  drop  readily  and  willingly.  Some  include  retrieving  as  part  of  the 
yard  breaking,  while  others  leave  that  till  the  last  and  even  until  the  dog 
has  been  shot  over,  believing  that  it  should  be  the  final  lesson  of  all.  En- 
glish dogs  are  not  taught  to  retrieve,  yet  can  learn,  or  have  learned  it  after 
arrival  in  this  country  with  no  great  difficulty,  and  as  it  is  not  positively 
essential  toward  the  proper  killing  of  game  over  a  dog,  the  owner  and 
trainer  can  use  his  discretion  in  the  matter.  We  will,  however,  take  the 
subject  up  now. 

Admitting  that  dogs  innumerable  have  been  taught  to  retrieve  by  early 
puppy  lessons  of  fetching  and  carrying,  and  seeking  for  a  hidden  object, 
we  do  not  accept  that  as  the  best  way  to  teach  a  dog,  supposing  that  at 
eight  months  or  more  he  has  yet  to  learn  that  accomplishment.  You  doubt- 
less will  succeed  if  your  dog  is  biddable  by  adopting  the  play  method  of 
education,  but  as  previously  stated,  our  belief  is  in  the  perfecting  the  dog 
on  the  lines  of  obedience  to  commands,  and  as  a  part  of  that  the  badly  mis- 
named "force"  system  is  the  one  to  adopt.  It  is  true  you  force  the  dog  to 
obey,  and  use  force  if  necessary  to  do  so,  but  we  like  not  the  word  and  use 
it  merely  because  it  has  a  certain  vogue  and  meaning. 

The  late  Arnold  Burgess  was  one  of  a  party  who  made  a  great  secret 


154  The  Dog  Book 

of  this  force  system  and  to  read  his  book  on  the  subject  one  would  imagine 
it  was  the  taming  of  a  wild  animal  that  he  was  describing.  Burgess  was 
admittedly  a  good  dog  man,  but  any  person  who  advocated  as  he  did  the 
breaking  of  a  dog  to  the  chain  by  putting  a  collar  on  him  and  for  the  first 
time  attaching  the  chain  to  some  building  and  there  leave  the  dog  to  fight 
till  exhausted,  may  be  expected  to  force  a  dog  to  fight  by  his  own  cruelty 
to  the  animal,  and  in  retaliation.  With  Burgess  brute  force  was  more 
potent  than  patience  and  resolution,  and  he  had  to  fight  dogs  because  he 
forced  them  to  fight  him  to  begin  with. 

The  lesson  of  retrieving  is  the  crucial  test  of  control  of  the  dog,  and 
for  that  reason  we  think  it  should  be  deferred  till  the  last  so  as  to  have  a 
pupil  which  has  gone  through  the  whole  discipline  and  learned  the  full  lesson 
of  obedience  step  by  step,  and  has  found  out  that  what  he  is  told  to  do  he 
must  perform,  whether  or  no.  We  fully  agree  with  Mr.  Burgess  that  it  is 
frequently  a  hard  lesson  to  teach,  and  further  that  each  step  must  be  taught 
at  one  lesson,  so  as  to  leave  victory  with  the  master  and  not  the  dog. 

Lesson  number  one  consists  in  making  the  dog  take  hold  of  some 
object  and  retain  it  in  his  mouth,  and  the  modus  operandi  is  as  follows: 
Take  the  dog  into  a  room  having  with  you  a  roll  of  cloth  or  an  old  news- 
paper rolled  so  as  to  be  about  an  inch  or  more  in  thickness  and  six  inches 
long.  Back  the  dog  into  a  corner  and  make  him  sit  up,  while  you  seat 
yourself  facing  him  with  knees  apart  so  as  to  fence  him  in  as  much  as  pos- 
sible. Take  hold  of  the  dog's  upper  jaw  as  you  would  to  administer  medi- 
cine, that  is,  pressing  the  upper  lips  against  the  teeth,  with  the  thumb  and 
fingers.  Put  the  roll  in  front  of  his  nose  and  give  the  order  "  Pick  it  up," 
at  the  same  time  forcing  him  by  pressure  to  open  his  jaws  till  the  roll  can 
be  inserted  between  the  open  jaws.  Keep  repeating  the  order  till  you  get 
the  roll  in  place,  and  there  must  be  no  let  up  till  you  do  so.  For  this  reason 
we  deprecate  the  idea  of  starting  in  to  make  a  fight  and  struggle  all  over 
the  room  to  accomplish  the  object  of  forcing  submission.  There  was  no 
forcing  a  fight  in  the  prior  lessons  of  training,  and  why  seek  to  bring  one 
about  in  this  ?  With  the  dog  unable  to  back  away  from  you,  unable  to  get 
past  you  on  either  side  and  having  a  firm  hold  on  his  muzzle,  he  can  be  held 
in  subjection  without  fighting  him.  One  can  be  firm  without  resorting  to 
cruelty  to  the  dog. 

The  lesson  must  be  continued  until  he  opens  his  mouth  for  the  insertion 
of  the  roll,  or  at  least  makes  pretense  enough  to  be  an  acknowledgment  that 


MR.    CHARLES    PHELP'S    ANTONIO 

Prominent  as  a  sire  of  successful  dogs  at  field  trials 


Photo  by  Schreiber 


ROWDY    ROD 
A  well-known  winner  and  member  of  a  great  field  trials  family 


Pkotc  by  Schreiber 


Training  a  Field  Dog  i5S 

he  has  been  compelled  to  obey.  That  will  do  for  the  first  day  if  the  struggle 
has  been  a  prolonged  one,  but  if  not  and  the  mouth  opening  is  readily  accom- 
plished at  the  "pick-it-up"  order,  then  proceed  to  make  him  keep  it  in  his 
mouth  to  the  order,  "  Hold."  This  hardly  calls  for  any  instruction,  for  it 
would  naturally  occur  to  any  one  that  the  muzzle  is  to  be  grasped  while  the 
word  "hold"  is  repeated,  and  this  continued  till  understood. 

The  second  lesson,  presuming  that  the  hold  has  been  accomplished, 
consists  first  in  repetition  of  what  has  gone  before,  and,  likely  as  not,  it  may 
be  as  tedious  as  the  first  one,  but  it  will  have  to  last  till  the  first  lesson  is 
done  well,  the  pressure  on  the  jaws  being  applied  with  force  as  punishment 
for  refusal  to  obey.  Each  succeeding  day  must  the  teacher  begin  at  the 
"pick  it  up"  and  proceed  as  far  as  the  last  lesson  before  going  further. 
Presuming  the  first  two  lessons  to  have  been  successfully  repeated,  then  hold 
the  roll  to  one  side  and  give  the  order.  Now  if  there  is  one  thing  impossible 
for  the  dog  to  see  in  that  room  it  is  this  roll,  so  it  is  very  certain  that  his  head 
will  have  to  be  sharply  twisted  so  as  to  bring  the  object  directly  in  front  of 
his  eyes,  when  he  will  probably  pick  it  up  to  order.  He  must  be  tried  at 
the  other  side  and  the  roll  put  in  various  positions  for  the  dog  to  turn  or 
reach  for  it.  This  lesson  accomplished  with  the  added  "hold"  at  each 
test,  the  next  word  to  be  learned  is  "give"  or  relinquish  hold  to  allow  the 
roll  to  be  taken  from  the  mouth.  This  is  usually  easy  to  learn,  and  of  course 
as  the  dog  shows  signs  of  understanding  and  obeying,  he  must  be  made 
aware  of  it  by  pleasant  words  and  an  occasional  reward,  although  not  to 
the  extent  of  giving  him  the  idea  that  it  is  for  the  reward  he  is  to  get  that  he 
does  it. 

The  next  step  is  to  walk  with  the  dog  and  drop  the  roll  close  in  front 
of  him.  Stop  and  order  him  to  pick  it  up,  forcing  him  to  do  so  if  necessary. 
Then  hold  your  hand  and  order  "  Give."  Of  course  if  he  drops  it  the  lesson 
must  start  with  the  pick  up,  followed  by  the  hold  and  then  the  give.  This 
is  a  work  of  patience  and  need  not  be  gone  into  in  detail,  as  the  general 
principles  governing  the  subject  have  already  been  fully  given  and  they  must 
be  applied  as  necessity  arises.  When  the  pick  up  is  done  willingly  from 
the  floor  the  next  step  is  to  throw  the  roll  a  little  distance  ahead  and  send 
the  dog  for  it  or  take  him  there  as  a  starter  and  then  send  him,  gradually 
increasing  the  distance,  and  encouraging  and  rewarding  him  for  his  efforts. 

Thus  far  the  dog  has  picked  up  an  object  he  could  plainly  see  from 
where  he  stood  and  he  must  now  be  taken  to  some  place  where  the  object 


156  The  Dog  Book 

thrown  will  disappear  from  view,  such  as  in  long  grass.  With  the  dog 
near  and  facing  you  throw  the  roll  beyond  him,  keeping  him  at  *'to-ho'* 
while  you  do  so.  Then  with  a  wave  of  the  hand  send  him  for  the  roll, 
giving,  when  he  has  started,  the  command  to  "find."  As  he  has  now  to  use 
his  nose  to  locate  the  object,  nothing  new  and  without  a  known  scent  should 
be  used,  an  old  roll  being  the  best  for  this  purpose.  As  you  make  the  placing 
of  the  roll  more  difficult  it  is  well  to  encourage  the  dog  by  assisting  in  the 
search,  of  course  not  going  directly  to  the  object,  but  looking  in  sundry 
places  till  the  right  location  is  finally  reached,  and  with  many  a  good 
word  for  his  success  and  patting  the  dog  realises  that  he  has  done  something 
of  merit,  and  will  naturally  try  to  do  so  again.  Reduce  your  assisting  as 
soon  as  possible  and  do  not  interfere  so  as  to  have  the  dog  rely  upon  you 
for  assistance,  but  only  when  hopelessly  at  fault  give  him  any  clue  to  the 
solution.  He  must  be  taught  perseverance  all  by  himself,  for  dead  birds 
are  hard  to  find  at  times.  Every  effort  must  be  made  at  this  stage  to  get  the 
dog  to  use  his  nose,  for  upon  his  ability  in  this  direction  much  of  his  future 
success  depends.  As  an  old  and  thorough  sportsman  in  a  sadly  depleted 
shooting  section  near  New  York  says,  "Point,  more  point,  and  still  more 
point  is  what  is  wanted  in  a  shooting  dog  where  game  is  scarce.  You  want 
a  dog  that  misses  no  bird." 

Presuming  that  the  trainer  has  now  got  his  dog  well  educated  along 
the  lines  laid  down  and  has  had  him  out  on  his  walks  during  which  he  has 
been  given  orders  from  time  to  time,  and  has  shown  a  promptness  in  obeying 
that  warrants  the  belief  that  he  may  be  taken  afield,  it  is  well  to  do  so,  the 
dog  being  taken  by  himself. 

The  first  duty  taught  in  the  field  is  ranging,  or  changing  his  direction  of 
running.  It  is  better  to  let  the  dog  have  a  good  run  along  the  road  before 
entering  a  field  for  this  lesson,  so  as  to  have  his  romp  out.  Bring  him  to 
heel  after  his  run  and  keep  him  there  till  you  reach  the  desired  spot,  which 
should  be  clear  of  obstructions  or  brush  so  that  you  can  see  each  other  all 
the  time.  Send  your  dog  out  and  when  he  has  gone  as  far  as  you  think 
advisable  whistle  once,  and  as  soon  as  he  looks  toward  you  wave  your  hand 
in  the  direction  you  wish  him  to  go  and  yourself  follow  that  direction,  which 
will  naturally  cause  him  to  take  it.  As  soon  as  he  has  straightened  out 
change  your  course  to  straight  ahead,  and  when  he  has  gone  a  proper  distance 
whistle,  wave  your  hand  in  the  opposite  direction,  moving  likewise  as  before. 
A  dog  of  intelligence  will  soon  recognise  the  one  whistle  as  the  signal  to 


Training  a  Field  Dog  157 

change  his  course  and  finally  that  his  proper  mode  of  progression  is  by 
diagonals. 

Too  much  stress  should  not  be  laid  upon  quartering  as  an  essential  in 
actual  work.  It  is  part  of  the  education,  the  same  as  a  boy  is  taught  arithmetic 
systematically,  and  when  he  is  more  advanced  uses  his  head  in  the  way  of 
short  cuts  to  reach  the  desired  end.  Our  game  birds  are  not  spread  all  over 
the  fields  as  partridges  are  in  turnips  in  England,  but  haunt  favoured 
localities.  When  snipe  shooting  on  marsh  lands  or  pinnated  grouse  shooting 
on  the  prairies  ranging  is  an  essential,  and  as  a  part  of  the  education  of  the  dog 
to  work  to  signal  it  is  also  essential.  In  actual  shooting  the  dog  should  be  sent 
to  probable  localities  for  the  game  sought,  and  the  intelligence  of  the  dog  will 
eventually  educate  him  to  the  knowledge  of  the  most  likely  places  for  game. 

In  all  likelihood  the  youngster  will  fail  to  yield  the  implicit  obedience  he 
did  to  signals  he  formerly  respected,  and  it  is  better  to  let  him  have  a  little 
leeway  to  begin  with,  as  you  want  him  full  of  go  in  his  work.  Let  him  have  his 
fling  for  a  little,  if  he  must,  rather  than  curb  his  spirits.  Then  when  he  has 
had  a  reasonable  time  for  this  exuberance  of  spirits  to  evaporate  proceed  to 
put  in  practice  some  of  his  signal  orders  and  see  that  he  obeys  them.  When 
he  appears  under  control  and  you  know  where  game  is  to  be  found,  send  him 
in  that  direction,  keeping  him  well  in  hand  as  you  approach  the  place.  You 
will  have  taken  no  gun  with  you  on  this  occasion.  That  will  come  later,  the 
present  object  being  to  have  him  steady  to  wing  and  to  learn  scent  and  point. 

As  soon  as  any  indication  of  game  is  seen,  either  from  your  own  observa- 
tion or  the  dog's  action,  "steady"  him  and  keep  him  slightly  checked. 
If  the  birds  flush,  "to-ho"  at  once  and  try  to  hold  him.  Some  say  to  let  the 
dog  chase.  Why,  is  not  apparent,  and  the  sensible  thing  is  to  start  the  dog 
right  if  it  can  be  done.  It  is  not  such  a  grievous  offence  as  to  call  for 
punishment,  but  he  should  be  checked,  stopped  and  brought  back  to  the 
point  where  he  broke  from  and  admonished  to  be  careful.  Then  if  by  any 
possibility  you  have  marked  down  any  of  the  birds,  work  him  toward  them 
and  use  every  precaution  possible  to  get  him  to  stand  to  the  birds.  Rome 
was  not  built  in  a  day,  and  the  puppy  is  not  likely  to  learn  this  lesson  of  his 
in  one  day,  though  he  may.  Remember,  however,  that  the  bolder  dog 
will  likely  prove  the  better  in  the  long  run  and  take  pains  to  set  him  right 
without  getting  him  cowed.  If  the  dog  after  two  or  three  trials  persists 
in  running  in,  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  a  check  cord  and  use  it  with  the  to- 
ho."     It  is  advisable  when  the  dog  stands  steady  on  point,  and  you  go  ahead 


158  The  Dog  Book 

of  the  dog  to  flush  the  bird,  to  pay  every  attention  to  the  dog.  "Steady"  him 
as  you  pass  him  and  move  slowly  and  with  caution  yourself,  and  finally  when 
the  bird  flushes,  turn  at  once  to  the  dog  with  a  hand  raised  warningly  and 
"to-ho"  sharply  if  he  is  the  least  unsteady.  If  he  stands  staunchly,  be 
lavish  with  your  praise  and  show  that  he  has  done  the  right  thing. 

Make  haste  slowly  in  thus  initiating  the  dog  to  game,  for  it  is  the  vital 
point  in  the  dog's  education,  and  when  you  feel  assured  that  he  is  as  steady 
as  you  can  make  him,  take  the  gun  for  the  final  test.  Presumably  you  have 
made  yourself  aware,  by  letting  him  hear  a  gun  fired  that  he  is  not  gunshy 
and  that  all  your  labour  has  not  been  expended  upon  a  dog  that  could  never 
be  used.  Having  secured  a  point,  go  forward  to  flush  and  shoot  to  kill. 
This  is  rather  a  trying  moment,  for  the  eflFect  of  the  shot  on  the  bird  and  the 
sound  on  the  dog  have  to  be  noted  almost  simultaneously.  If  the  bird  drops, 
quickly  note  the  whereabouts  and  at  once  turn  to  hold  the  dog  steady  if 
inclined  to  break  shot,  holding  him  in  check  by  word  and  signal.  If  he  is 
steady,  then  tell  him  to  "  find  "  and  go  with  him  so  as  to  be  near  at  hand  when 
he  picks  up  the  bird  and  take  it  quickly  from  him,  as  the  first  bird  must  not 
be  mangled  in  the  retrieving.  This  done  successfully,  the  dog  has  fully 
rewarded  you  for  the  labour  and  time  spent  on  his  education.  What  he 
learns  after  that  is  experience,  and  if  he  is  a  stout,  willing  dog  he  will  continue 
to  improve,  using  his  own  intelligence  toward  perfecting  himself,  and  become 
a  companion  you  may  well  be  proud  of. 

The  last  lesson  to  learn  is  backing,  and  this  of  course  calls  for  another 
dog.  Select  a  well  trained,  reliable  one  and  cast  him  off",  followed  by  the 
puppy.  The  old  dog  will  likely  make  for  probable  finds  from  his  better 
knowledge  of  the  habits  of  the  game,  and  as  soon  as  he  is  on  point  call  in  the 
puppy,  and,  taking  him  toward  the  old  dog,  let  him  see  him  and  then  hold 
him  with  the  "to-ho."  Be  absolutely  sure  he  sees  the  other  dog  on  point 
and  that  he  is  steady  before  going  past  him  to  shoot.  Keep  him  steady  at 
the  back,  then  go  on,  flush  and  kill.  Still  holding  him  steady,  send  the  old 
dog  for  the  bird.  Another  way  is  to  get  a  friend  to  make  use  of  his  dog  as 
the  one  to  be  backed,  and  when  the  puppy  has  been  made  to  stand  steady 
let  the  old  dog's  owner  go  on,  flush,  shoot  and  send  in  his  dog  to  retrieve, 
thus  permitting  the  handler  of  the  puppy  to  give  it  his  undivided  attention. 
Backing  is  a  lesson  which  should  be  taught  carefully  and  thoroughly,  as  it 
is  something  many  dogs  fail  in  and  displays  more  than  anything,  perhaps, 
the  perfectly  broken  dog. 


CHAPTER  IX 


The    Irish    Setter 

ECOND  in  popularity  of  the  three  varieties  of  the  setter 
comes  the  handsome  Irish  setter  or,  as  it  is  called  in  England, 
the  Irish  red  setter.  At  one  time  he  was  much  more 
popular  in  this  country  than  of  recent  years.  The  run 
upon  the  English  variety  has  had  its  effect  on  both  the  Irish 
and  the  Gordons.  In  the  land  of  his  name  and  also  in  England  he  is  still 
held  in  high  esteem  and  valued  as  a  field  dog.  This  may  be  seen  by  the 
large  number  mentioned  in  advertisements  in  those  English  papers  which 
are  used  as  mediums  for  the  sale  of  broken  shooting  dogs. 

The  success  of  the  Irish  setter  Plunket  in  English  field  trials  had 
naturally  very  much  to  do  with  Irish  setters  being  popular  here  at  that 
time,  added  as  it  doubtless  was,  to  what  was  accomplished  in  America  by 
the  half  bred  Irish  setter  Joe  Jr.,  by  Elcho  out  of  a  native  setter.  That  is 
nearly  thirty  years  ago  now,  and  for  a  few  years,  or  up  to  about  1882, 
entries  of  Irish  setters  were  not  infrequent  at  field  trials  having  some  claim 
to  prominence.  The  preponderance  of  English  setters,  however,  even  if  the 
Irish  had  been  every  bit  as  good  in  the  average,  led  to  far  greater  success 
on  the  part  of  English  setters,  and  the  Irish  were  dropped.  It  is  quite  true 
that  votaries  of  this  breed  can  make  up  a  long  list  of  winning  Irish  setters  at 
American  field  trials,  but  of  what  class  were  the  trials  ?  Without  going 
into  an  accurate  investigation  to  determine  the  positive  numbers,  we  may 
say  that  not  far  from  90  per  cent,  of  any  such  tabulation  would  be  found 
to  consist  of  wins  confined  to  members  of  the  club  giving  the  trials,  or  to 
such  minor  trials  as  those  at  Fishers  Island,  Robins  Island,  or  the  Phila- 
delphia Kennel  Club,  when  the  members  of  the  last  were  more  particularly 
interested  in  Irish  setters. 

We  are  not  seeking  to  disparage  the  Irish  setter  in  making  the  above 
statement,  but  as  total  figures  could  be  given  by  way  of  contradiction  to 
a  general  statement  that  Irish  setters  have  not  met  with  much  success  at 
field  trials  in  this  country,  it  is  better  to  say  that  they  have  won  at  a  num- 

159 


i6o  The  Dog  Book 

ber  of  trials,  but  the  very  great  majority  of  these  successes  were  attained 
at  minor  trials  or  in  stakes  of  a  restricted  character,  which  precluded  the 
wins  taking  rank  with  those  obtained  by  English  setters  and  pointers  at 
important  trials  in  competition  open  to  all. 

In  England  the  Irish  setters  run  in  competition  with  other  breeds  and 
meet  with  a  very  fair  share  of  success,  and  if  they  were  taken  hold  of  here 
in  the  same  way  that  the  at-one-time  discarded  pointer  was,  by  men  having 
influence  as  well  as  the  means  to  carry  out  their  determination,  the  Irish 
setter  would  stand  a  chance  of  regaining  favour  outside  of  the  sportsmen 
who  still  believe  in  the  value  of  the  reds  as  a  useful  shooting  dog. 

The  history  of  the  Irish  setter  prior  to  the  nineteenth  century  is  little 
more  than  a  tradition.  The  first  reference  we  have  come  across  is  that 
quoted  in  the  article  on  the  spaniel  family  prefacing  the  chapter  on  the  Eng- 
lish setter.  This  is  from  "A  Treatise  on  Field  Diversions,"  published 
originally  in  1776,  and  written  by  the  Reverend  Mr.  Simons,  whose  name 
is  not  given  on  the  title  page,  in  its  place  being  "By  a  Gentleman  of  Suffolk, 
a  Staunch  Sportsman."  In  speaking  of  the  setter,  then  only  the  setting 
spaniel  for  use  with  the  net,  he  says:  "None  can  have  any  just  claim, 
however,  to  the  appellation  [of  setter]  but  what  is  emphatically  called  by 
way  of  eminence  the  English  spaniel.  The  Irish  insist — theirs  are  the  true 
English  spaniel;  the  Welsh  contend — theirs  are  the  aborigines." 

Some  readers  might  think  this  a  mere  figure  of  speech,  but  a  little  far- 
ther on  there  is  this  remark:  "A  gentleman  who  resided  some  time  in 
Wales  tells  me  this  is  a  true  description  of  their  finest  setters."  It  is  per- 
fectly proper  to  assume  therefore  that  at  that  period  there  was  a  variety 
known  as  Irish,  or  at  least  a  variety  in  Ireland  which  differed  in  some 
respect  from  the  dog  in  vogue  in  England  and  in  Wales.  We  have  sub- 
stantial evidence  that  the  Welsh  variety  was  white,  or  white  and  black,  and 
Mr.  Simons  goes  on  to  say,  "Be  that  as  it  may,  whatever  mixtures  may 
have  been  since  made,  there  were,  fifty  years  ago  [that  would  be  about  1725], 
two  distinct  tribes — the  black-tanned,  and  the  orange  or  lemon  and  white." 
There  has  never  been  any  suggestion  that  the  setter  of  Ireland  was  anything 
but  red  or  red  and  white,  and  we  may  conclude  that  the  variety  specified 
by  Mr.  Simons  was  of  that  colour. 

Dalziel  in  "British  Dogs"  quotes,  from  a  work  we  have  never  seen, 
entitled,  "A  Correct  Delineation  of  the  Canine  Race,"  published  in  1803 
by  "A  Veteran  Sportsman,"  a  remark  to  the  effect  that  setters  were  more 


The  Irish  Setter  i6i 

popular  in  Ireland  than  pointers,  but  quotes  no  description  of  colour  or 
appearance.  Here,  however,  is  proof  of  the  existence  of  the  "blood  red 
setter"  in  the  Emerald  Isle  at  that  period.  Colonel  J.  P.  Hamilton  pub- 
lished in  i860  his  "Reminiscences  of  an  Old  Sportsman,"  and  in  it  we 
find  that  he  was  for  two  years  Inspecting  Field  Officer  of  Yeomanry  in  the 
South  of  Ireland,  and  "in  1805"  had  some  excellent  woodcock  shooting 
in  the  County  of  Carlow.  That  sets  us  right  as  to  the  date.  Then  in  a 
chapter  on  spaniels  and  setters  we  find  this  statement:  "In  Ireland  the 
setter  is  called  the  English  spaniel,  having  been  originally  brought  from 
England.  I  had  one  of  these  dogs,  which  I  purchased  at  Waterford,  it  was 
a  blood  red  setter  and  certainly  was  beautiful  in  appearance  .  .  .  but 
I  shall  hereafter  mention  his  extraordinary  instinct  in  finding  his  way  over 
the  Welsh  mountains  back  to  Milford  Haven,  where  I  landed."  Without 
this  last,  seemingly  irrelevant  statement,  we  should  have  had  no  positive 
evidence  that  the  purchase  was  made  in  1805.  The  promised  anecdote  is 
given  in  a  chapter  on  "The  Instinct  of  Dogs,"  and  begins  as  follows: 
"Many  years  ago,  when  on  the  staff  in  Ireland  I  purchased  at  Waterford 
a  very  handsome  blood-red  setter.  In  a  few  days  I  embarked  in  the 
packet  which  sailed  from  Waterford  to  Milford  Haven  with  my  dog."  Here 
we  have  the  connecting  link  as  to  1805  being  the  date.  The  story  is,  that 
the  dog  was  taken  inside  of  a  coach  for  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  over 
a  rough  mountainous  country,  and  that,  making  his  escape  from  the  house 
to  which  he  had  been  taken,  he  found  his  way  back  on  the  same  night  to 
the  wharf  at  Milford  Haven.  That  is  to  us  an  immaterial  point.  What 
is  worthy  of  notice  is  that  the  dogs  in  question  were  acknowledged  as  of 
English  origin  by  the  common  name  of  English  spaniels,  and  that  the 
blood  red  colour  must  have  been  not  uncommon,  for  it  is  merely  specified 
that  this  particular  setter  was  "one  of  them" — the  ordinary  English  spaniel, 
as  they  were  called. 

Corroborative  evidence  as  to  the  name  of  English  spaniel  for  the  setter 
in  Ireland  and  also  as  to  colour  is  to  be  found  in  a  foot  note  in  Daniel's 
"Rural  Sports"  (London,  1807).  The  note  is  as  follows:  "Mr.  Thornhill 
describes  the  Irish  setter,  termed  English  spaniels,  as  bringing  very  high 
prices  when  of  peculiar  breeds.  The  colours  of  these  choice  sorts  are 
deep  chestnut  and  white,  or  all  red,  with  the  nose  and  roof  of  the  mouth 
black.  He  mentions  a  gentleman  in  the  North  of  Ireland  who  once  gave 
to  his  tenant  for  a  dog  and  bitch  of  this  kind  the  renewal  of  a  lease  of  a 


i62  The  Dog  Book 

farm,  which,  had  the  lease  expired,  would  have  cleared  to  the  landlord 
above  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  per  annum." 

It  is  worth  noticing  that  the  parti-coloured  setter  is  not  in  this  case 
described  as  red  and  white,  but  as  chestnut.  The  colour  of  the  Irish  setter 
of  the  present  day  is  frequently  likened  to  that  of  horse  chestnut  at  the  time 
the  burr  opens  and  the  nuts  first  show  in  their  nest.  But  chestnut  is 
a  rather  variable  description,  for  the  chestnut  horse  is  of  quite  a  light 
colour  compared  with  a  large  part  of  the  nut,  which  is  more  "bay" 
in  the  main. 

Quite  recently  we  had  the  good  fortune  to  pick  up  a  little  paper-bound 
book  published  by  a  resident  of  Montgomery,  Ala.,  prior  to  the  Civil  War, 
in  which  appear  two  of  the  late  Frank  Forester's  sketches.  They  were 
written  some  time  before  for  a  paper,  which  ceased  publication  before 
they  could  be  used,  and  they  were  given  to  Mr.  Johnson  J.  Hooper  to 
make  what  use  he  liked  of  them  and  at  last  saw  daylight.  The  period 
set  for  the  sketch  entitled  "The  Yorkshire  Moors"  must  have  been 
about  1825,  for  it  begins  thus:  "It  is  now  well  nigh  thirty  years  since  my 
first  day  on  the  Yorkshire  moorlands."  The  date  of  entry  of  the  book 
in  the  clerk's  oflnice  of  the  United  States  Court  is  1856,  and  as  the  sketch 
had  been  written  some  time  prior,  the  "thirty  years"  take  us  very  readily 
to  1825.  Forester's  recollection  is  further  reinforced  by  his  saying  that  he 
was  then  about  eighteen  years  of  age  and  was  in  the  sixth  form  at  Eton, 
and  as  Forester  was  born  in  1807  that  checks  the  date.  His  real  name 
was  William  Henry  Herbert  and  his  father  was  the  Dean  of  Manchester. 
He  was  also  a  grandson  of  the  Earl  of  Carnarvon. 

The  old  gamekeeper  had  started  for  the  moors  two  days  before,  leading 
a  pony  laden  with  panniers  and  four  brace  of  dogs.  The  description  of  these 
dogs  begins  with:  "Cynthia  and  Phoebe,  a  pair  of  orange  and  white  silky 
Irish  setters,  with  large  soft  eyes  and  coal  black  muzzles,  feathered  six 
inches  deep  on  the  legs  and  stern."  Orange  and  bright  chestnut  are  not 
so  very  dissimilar  and,  being  shades  of  red,  would  be  called  red  by  many 
people.  This  question  of  colour  was  a  burning  one  sixty  years  later  when 
classes  were  given  for  both  the  self-coloured  and  the  red  and  whites  at  Irish 
shows,  and  this  distinction  was  also  made  at  the  early  American  shows. 
Literature  regarding  the  early  Irish  setter  is  most  diflficult  to  procure,  and 
although  we  have  read  innumerable  books  that  gave  somes  light  promise 
of  even  a  passing  mention,  the  result  has  been  most  unsatisfactory.     The 


The  Irish  Setter  163 

next  note  we  came  across  was  in  "Sporting,"  edited  by  that  well  known 
writer  "Nimrod,"  who  was  about  as  good  an  all-round  sportsman  as  England 
produced  during  the  first  half  of  the  last  century  =  "Sporting"  was  issued 
in  1837,  and  in  it  we  found  one  brief  paragraph  to  the  effect  that  the  Irish 
setter  was  red  and  white. 

Mr.  Laverack's  Statement 

As  a  contemporary  of  "Nimrod"  we  have  Mr.  Laverack  who,  as  In  the 
case  of  the  English  setter,  was  the  first  writer  to  give  us  any  definite  infor- 
mation regarding  this  variety.  Mr.  Laverack  had  good  knowledge  of  all 
setters  from  a  very  early  period  of  the  nineteenth  century  and  condensed 
much  information  into  small  compass: 

"Perhaps  there  has  been  no  greater  controversy  than  on  the  merits 
of  the  Irish  setter.  When  pure  and  thoroughly  broken,  they  are  an  admir- 
able and  excellent  breed  of  dogs,  being  possessed  of  great  powers  of  endur- 
ance and  speed.  So  highly  do  I  value  the  true  blood  belonging  to  the  Irish 
that  I  have  visited  Ireland  four  times  for  the  express  purpose  of  ascertain- 
ing where  the  pure  blood  was  to  be  found,  with  a  view  of  crossing  them 
with  my  Beltons. 

"  I  very  much  regret  to  say  that  after  all  my  trouble  and  efforts,  I  found 
that  this  fine  and  magnificent  old  breed  had  degenerated,  owing  to  the 
carelessness  and  negligence  of  the  Irish  in  not  keeping  it  pure. 

"I  believe  it  Is  admitted  by  some  of  the  leading  sportsmen  in  Ireland, 
among  whom  I  may  name  John  King  of  FIrbane,  Colonel  White  of  Newton 
Manor,  near  Sligo,  and  others,  that  there  Is  scarcely  any  breed  now  to  be 
relied  upon  for  purity.  'Sixty-one,'  an  Irishman,  and  who  probably  knows 
Ireland  and  the  breed  of  setters  as  well  as  any  one,  does  not,  I  am  told, 
hold  them  in  the  highest  estimation=  As  far  as  my  own  researches  and 
observation  go,  the  late  John  La  Touche,  of  Harrlstown,  possessed  this 
breed  In  its  greatest  purity. 

"One  of  the  best  specimens  of  the  Irish  setter  I  ever  saw  was  In  the 
possession  of  Rowland  Hunt,  of  Leicestershire,  who  has  the  Braemore 
shooting,  Caithness.  This  dog,  he  informed  me,  he  purchased  at  the  late 
Marquis  of  Waterford's  sale.  Another  magnificent  specimen  I  saw  at 
Cockermouth  Castle,  Cumberland,  belonged  to  the  late  General  Wyndham. 
Both  these  dogs  were  blood  red  with  a  dark  shade  on  the  tips  of  their  coats. 


164  The  Dog  Book 

The  one  I  saw  at  Cockermouth  Castle  I  consider,  without  any  exception, 
to  have  been  the  most  magnificent  specimen  of  an  Irish  setter  I  ever  saw. 
The  General  informed  me  that  when  he  commanded  the  troops  in  Ireland 
he  saw  and  shot  over  the  best  specimens  of  this  breed  and  stated  some  were 
excellent,  others  worthless.  The  dog  alluded  to,  he  told  me,  was  made  a 
present  to  him  by  an  Irish  nobleman,  whose  name  I  have  forgotten.  This 
dog  was  very  long  in  head,  particularly  low,  very  oblique  in  shoulders, 
v;heeled  or  roach  backed,  very  deep  and  broad  in  the  chest,  remarkably 
wide  behind  the  shoulders,  and  very  short  in  the  back  and  legs,  more  so 
than  any  Irish  setter  I  ever  saw.  He  had  an  immense  profusion  of  coat, 
with  a  tinge  of  black  on  the  tips  of  his  ears. 

"  I  should  have  bred  from  this  dog  but  for  the  following  reasons,  and  I 
think  I  was  right:  no  one  was  ever  able  to  break  him,  and  his  stock  were 
frequently  black.  Rowland  Hunt's  dog  also  got  black  puppies  occasionally, 
evidently  denoting  that  there  must  have  been  a  black  strain  in  the  breed. 

"Captain  Cooper's  Stella,  a  sister  to  his  Ranger,  who  obtained  the 
first  prize  at  Birmingham  and  Dublin,  also  occasionally  throws  black 
puppies.  Notwithstanding  this  strain  of  black  in  the  breed,  the  best  and 
most  perfectly  formed  Irish  setters  I  have  ever  seen  had  this  stain  or  tint 
of  black,  which  I  should  never  object  to,  although  I  am  well  aware  many  of 
the  most  eminent  Irish  breeders  state  that  they  ought  to  be  without  any 
tint  of  black  whatever  in  their  coats. 

"As  far  as  I  have  seen  and  been  informed,  for  general  goodness  and 
working  properties,  those  possessing  this  tint  of  black  have  been  quite  as 
good,  if  not  better,  than  those  without  it. 

"Mr.  Shorthose's  Irish  setter  Ben,  blood  red  with  a  tinge  of  black, 
who  has  obtained  upwards  of  forty  prizes  at  exhibitions,  gets  a  proportion, 
of  black  puppies. 

"My  firm  belief  is  that  no  Irish  setter  exists  without  throwing  back 
occasionally  to  black.  I  can  understand  breeders  preferring  the  blood 
red,  without  this  tinge  of  black,  and  retaining  the  blood  red  in  preference, 
but  my  idea  is  that  those  having  a  tinge  of  black  are  the  better  dogs,  although 
the  colour  may  be  objected  to. 

"There  is  another  colour  of  Irish  setters,  blood  red  and  white,  quite 
as  pure,  indeed  some  people  maintain  of  greater  antiquity  and  purity  of 
blood  than  the  blood  red.  Both  the  blood  red  and  the  blood  red  and  white 
will  throw  each  colour,  evidently  denoting  they  are  of  the  same  strain. 


The  Irish  Setter  165 

"I  think  the  handsomest  blood  red  and  white  Irish  setters  I  ever  saw 
were  in  the  possession  of  the  two  Misses  Ledwidge,  of  Beggarsbush,  near 
Dubhn.  Stella,  the  dam,  and  two  sons,  named  Old  York  and  Young 
York.  Stella,  although  blood  red  and  white,  was  the  dam  of  Mr.  Dycer's 
blood  red  setter  Dan,  well  known  in  his  day  for  his  goodness.  This  dog 
was  sire  of  Captain  Hutchinson's  Bob.  Miss  Ledwidge  informed  me  that 
she  possessed  this  breed  for  half  a  century  or  more,  and  Mr.  La  Touche's 
keeper  at  Harristown,  when  I  visited  his  kennels  there,  pointed  out  a  blood 
red  and  white  setter  as  the  best  he  had.  I  believe  the  Misses  Ledwidge's 
kennel  was  as  pure  as  any  in  Ireland.  I  was  told  they  originally  came  from 
the  Butler  family.  [A  reference  to  the  Butler  dogs  will  be  found  in  the 
article  on  the  Gordon  setter, — Ed.] 

"Another,  and  one  of  the  best  breeds,  which  have  probably  been  kept 
as  pure  as  any  in  Ireland,  are  those  of  the  Hon.  David  Plunket  and  Lord 
Freyne  of  Coolavin,  County  Sligo. 

"Of  the  two  colours,  blood  red  and  blood  red  and  white,  I  admire  the 
latter  the  most,  they  being  in  my  opinion  the  handsomer  of  the  two.  Mr. 
Barton,  County  Wicklow,  had  a  large  kennel  of  the  blood  red  and  whites,  and 
there  are  doubtless  other  breeds  in  Ireland  considered  as  pure  as  those  named. 

"As  far  as  my  experience  goes  of  those  I  have  seen  worked,  there  are 
few,  if  any,  setters  more  valuable  for  general  utility  than  the  Irish,  provided 
you  can  get  a  sufficiency  of  point,  but  I  am  sorry  to  write  it,  the  major  part 
are  deficient  in  this  requisite,  and  not  to  be  relied  on,  but  when  they  have 
it  they  are  admirable  dogs. 

"Those  I  have  seen  were  rather  light,  if  anything  too  light  in  head, 
wanting  a  little  squareness  about  the  nose  and  lip;  their  ears  are  too  high 
set  on  the  head,  being  often  on  a  line  with  the  skull,  which  gives  them  a 
prick-ear  appearance.  A  thin,  spare,  lathy  body  in  general,  and,  in  my 
opinion,  too  long  on  the  legs.  Their  shoulders  are  generally  well  placed, 
low  and  oblique,  with  a  drooping  stern,  coat  rather  harsh,  more  harsh  and 
wiry  than  that  of  the  English  setter,  neither  is  it  so  bright  and  silky;  temper 
obstinate,  fiery  and  impetuous,  which  detracts  from  the  major  part  of  the 
breed,  but  still  there  are  exceptions,  and  notwithstanding  some  people 
say  they  never  saw  a  good  Irish  setter,  I  have,  although  rarely;  but  when 
they  are  really  good  they  are  a  first  class  dog,  none  better. 

"I  should  probably  have  crossed  with  some  of  the  above  named  dogs,  but 
on  consideration  I  was  afraid  of  their  acknowledged  insufficiency  of  point." 


i66  The  Dog  Book 

Stonehenge's  Description 

Stonehenge  very  fortunately  inserted  in  his  first  edition  of  "The  Dogs 
of  the  British  Islands"  (1867),  and  also  in  the  second  edition  (1872), 
a  number  of  letters  which  had  appeared  in  the  Fields  regarding  Irish  setters. 
The  main  controversy  seems  to  have  been  as  to  the  colour  of  the  Simon 
pure  article,  but  interspersed  throughout  the  letters  there  is  a  fund  of  infor- 
mation as  to  what  was  known  to  the  correspondents,  whose  knowl- 
edge extended  back  for  upwards  of  fifty  years  in  some  cases.  We  will 
however  first  of  all  give  Stonehenge's  description  of  an  Irish  setter,  a 
description  we  have  never  seen  equalled  in  faithfulness  to  the  correct  type, 
and  it  should  be  studied  by  those  who  persist  in  placing  English  setter 
bodied  and  shaped  dogs  in  the  prize  list  at  our  present  day  shows. 

"We  suggested,  when  describing  the  Gordon  setter,  that  the  black- 
tan  came  from  Ireland.  That  opinion  has  been  corroborated  [With  this 
we  do  not  agree. — Ed.];  but  the  blood-red  or  rich  chestnut,  or  mahogany 
colour,  the  deep  rich  red — not  golden,  nor  fallow,  nor  yellow,  nor  fawn, 
but  deep,  pure  blood  red — is  the  colour  of  the  Irish  setter  of  high  mark. 
This  colour  must  be  unmixed  with  black,  and  tested  in  a  strong  light,  there 
must  not  be  black  shadows  or  waves,  much  less  black  fringe  to  the  ears 
or  to  the  profile  of  the  frame.  There  are  good  Irish  setters  nearly  white, 
red  and  white,  black-tan,  or  intimately  crossed  with  black-tan,  and  in  the 
last  case  showing  the  distinctive  markings  of  the  cross  in  the  black  tipping 
of  the  coat,  which  Irish  judges  consider  a  very  great  fault  in  colour. 

"The  head  should  be  long  and  light,  the  cranium  large,  the  brow 
well  developed  and  projectingy  and  the  sparkling  hazel  eye,  full  of  fire  and 
animation,  will  carry  off^  the  appearance  of  sullenness  or  bad  temper.  The 
ears  should  be  long,  set  low,  moderately  wide,  tapering  toward  the  base, 
and  the  edges  should  be  very  moderately  fringed. 

"The  Irish  setter  is  rather  more  'on  the  leg'  than  the  English  dog. 
His  ribs  are  a  little  more  hooped.  His  brisket  is  very  deep.  In  his  back 
ribs  he  is  a  little  deficient,  and  he  might  be  improved  in  that  respect.  His 
loin  is  very  strong,  though  his  quarters  are  drooping;  but  his  thighs  ^and 
hocks,  which  are  powerful,  make  up  for  this  defect. 

"His  feet  are  round,  hard  and  well  protected  by  the  sole  and  feather. 
His  stern  is  rather  straighter  than  that  of  the  Gordon  or  English  breeds^ 
and  the  feather  longer,  but  yet  comb-like  and  flat,  and  of  good  quality. 


■^'^^^^^ 


HUTCHlNSON'b    BOB 
The  first  prominent  dog-show  winner  in  England  and  Ireland 


MACDONA'S   KUVEK 
Litter  brother  to  Plunket,  and  as  prominent  on  the  bench  as  Plunket  was  in  the  field 


The    Irish   Setter  167 

"The  whole  aspect  of  the  Irish  setter  denotes  gameness,  courage, 
speed,  endurance,  intelligence  and  talent." 

Stonehenge  specifies  the  following  as  the  best  known  strains:  La 
Touche,  O'Connor,  Coats,  Lord  De  Freyne,  Sidwell,  Eyers,  Lord  Water- 
ford,  and  Captain  Hutchinson. 

The  Colour  of  Various  Strains 

Turning  now  to  the  letters  referred  to  we  will  extract  such  information 
as  is  historical.  Mr.  John  Walker  started  the  discussion  with  a  letter 
written  in  January,  1866,  in  which  he  questioned  the  correctness  of  the  claim 
that  the  Irish  setter  should  be  blood  red,  although  he  had  hitherto  been  of 
that  opinion.  He  quotes  from  an  unnamed  old  friend  with  forty  or  fifty 
years  experience  with  the  breed,  to  the  effect  that  the  oldest  and  purest 
strains  had  a  touch  of  black  and  that  it  did  not  come  from  the  Gordons. 
Captain  Hutchinson  and  Colonel  Whyte  responded,  having  been  named 
by  Mr.  Walker  as  two  whom  he  would  like  to  hear  from.  The  former 
affirmed  that  the  true  colour  was  a  "very  deep,  rich  blood-red"  and  said  he 
felt  certain  that  Mr.  La  Touche  would  agree  with  him,  "he  being  once  a 
breeder  of  the  finest  coloured  red  setters  in  this  country,  and  one  of  whose 
red  dogs  sold  for  the  very  large  sum  of  ;^73  lOs.  by  public  auction  in  Dublin." 

Colonel  Whyte  supplied  the  following:  "The  French  Park  breed 
was,  in  former  times,  celebrated  for  its  purity.  After  the  death  of  the 
first  Lord  De  Freyne,  I  attended  a  sale  there,  and,  of  course,  did  not  neglect 
the  kennel,  but  was  much  disappointed,  finding  them  a  worn-out,  and 
apparently  a  degenerated  lot.  I  asked  particularly  to  be  shown  one  that 
could  be  warranted  of  the  pure  old  race,  and  they  pointed  out  a  bitch  that, 
if  I  recollect  right,  was  not  to  be  sold.  She  was  a  low  but  strong  animal, 
with  very  little  feather,  extremely  dark  red,  almost  mahogany  colour;  dark 
mark  down  her  back;  dark  tip  to  her  ears  and  dark  muzzle;  no  white  about 
her  anywhere. 

"In  contradistinction  to  this  I  remember  some  twenty-five  years  ago 
two  kennels,  then  much  celebrated  for  their  breed — Lord  Forbes's  and 
Mr.  Owen  Wynne's  of  Hazlewood.  These  animals  in  no  way  resembled 
the  French  Park  bitch;  they  were  higher  on  the  leg  and  rather  lighter  in 
the  rib,  but  powerful,  wiry,  active  dogs,  by  no  means  very  dark  in  colour,  and 
showing  a  good  deal  of  white  about  the  face,  chest  and  fore  legs.    I  never  saw 


i68  The  Dog  Book 

Lord  Forbes's  but  once,  and  that  was  in  the  kennel.  Mr.  Wynne's  I  shot  over 
several  times — they  were  tremendous  goers,  but  unsteady  and  headstrong." 

Colonel  Whyte  expressed  his  preference  for  a  light  built,  muscular 
dog  "lighter  in  the  ribs  than  most  people  would  approve  of,  but  great  loins 
and  the  hind  legs  of  a  hare.  A  longer,  lighter,  but  a  more  lengthy  and 
supple  animal  than  prize  awarders  approve  of,  but  one  that  has  the  prime 
qualification  of  going  as  lightly  over  the  heather  as  a  cat,  and  winding 
through  the  tussocks  as  quietly  as  a  weasel." 

Mr.  Walker  responded  with  some  information  received  from  Captain 
Willis,  who  had  procured  from  an  Irish  officer  named  McClintock  a  setter 
with  black-tipped  ears  presented  to  McClintock  by  the  late  Marquis  of 
Waterford. 

At  this  stage  of  the  discussion  a  very  well  known  personage  who  used 
the  pseudonym  of  "Sixty-one"  threw  a  bombshell  into  the  camp  by  declaring 
that,  having  known  Irish  setters  for  fifty  years,  he  was  in  a  position  to  state 
that  both  blood  red  and  blood  red  and  white  were  correct;  that  black  lines 
or  tips  were  stories  for  the  marines;  that  Irish  setters  were  worthless, 
except  a  black  and  white  breed  of  Captain  Butler's  and  a  black  and  white, 
with  a  little  tan,  owned  by  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde;  that  he  had  found  Irish 
setters  had  neither  pace,  nose,  courage  nor  endurance,  and  for  that  reason 
had  given  them  up. 

This  onslaught  evoked  an  excellent  letter  from  Mr.  Harry  Blake 
Knox,  who  stated  that  he  had  known  and  bred  Irish  red  setters  for  many 
years.  He  seems  to  have  been  the  first  to  give  this  name  of  Irish  red  setters 
to  the  breed,  a  name  still  in  use  in  Ireland  and  England.  He  very  sensibly 
said  that  every  mongrel  setter  was  known  as  an  Irish  setter  and  that  the 
addition  of  "red"  was  necessary  to  specify  this  particular  variety,  which 
he  then  described  at  length,  being  particular  to  decry  black  in  every  way, 
whether  in  the  coat  or  on  the  nose,  admitting  white  only  in  the  centre  of 
the  forehead  or  centre  of  breast.  In  particular  reply  to  the  charge  of  in- 
capacity made  by  "Sixty-one,"  he  asked,  "Why  on  earth  do  we  keep  red  dogs 
if  they  are  worthless?"  and  claimed  that  for  the  arduous  work  connected 
with  shooting  in  Ireland  this  breed  was  "the  only  dog  for  Ireland." 

The  La  Touche  Setters 

Captain  Hutchinson  followed  with  a  letter  giving  the  following  extract 
from  a  communication  from  a  member  of  the  La  Touche  family:     "I  have 


The  Irish  Setter  169 

known  the  points  of  the  Irish  setter  all  my  life.  The  original  red  Irish 
setters  were  a  breed  of  dogs  belonging  to  Mrs.  La  Touche's  grandfather, 
Maurice  O'Connor,  Esq.,  of  Mount  Pleasant,  King's  County,  and  which 
family  took  great  pride  in  them.  Such  a  thing  as  a  black  hair  would  be 
scouted  among  them,  nor  were  black  tips  to  the  ears  or  to  the  feathering 
ever  thought  of;  it  plainly  shows  a  cross  with  another  breed.  The  O'Connor 
setter  is  of  blood-red  colour — certainly  of  a  purer  and  deeper  red  than  is 
seen  in  the  coat  or  fur  of  any  other  animal;  a  little  white  is  not  objected  to, 
and  of  late  years  there  were  more  red  and  white  dogs  bred.  It  was  considered 
more  convenient,  as  they  were  more  easily  seen  out  shooting,  but  Mr. 
O'Connor  always  preferred  a  pure  red  dog.  He  gave  some  to  Mr.  Robert 
La  Touche  of  Harristown,  County  Kildare,  and  thus  it  was  he  became 
possessed  of  the  breed.  I  remember  the  dogs  and  the  traditions  and  rules 
about  them  from  my  earliest  childhood,  and  I  can  certify  that  a  black  hair, 
or  a  black-tipped  hair,  was  never  seen  among  them;  but  I  do  remember 
that  about  twenty  years  ago  a  female  of  the  O'Connor  setter  breed  was 
given  away,  and  afterwards  crossed  with  a  black  and  tan  setter.  I  recollect 
that  of  the  puppies  some  were  pure  red,  others  pure  black  and  tan,  but  the 
red  with  black  tips  may  have  afterwards  resulted  from  this  cross.  I  never 
saw  a  red  setter  with  a  dark  stripe  down  the  back,  or  any  darker  colour 
about  him  than  a  rich  blood-red,  and  my  recollection  extends  over  thirty- 
five  years." 

Colonel  Whyte  again  joined  in  the  controversy  and  gave  some  good 
information  as  to  old  owners.  "It  appears  to  be  pretty  generally  con- 
ceded," he  writes  "that  the  earliest  recorded  and  most  celebrated  kennel 
of  these  dogs  was  that  of  Lord  Dillon,  great  grandfather,  I  believe,  to  the 
present  lord.  There  were,  however,  several  others  of  great  repute,  but 
supposed,  whether  true  or  not,  to  have  descended  from  Lord  Dillon's.  Of 
these,  perhaps.  Lord  Clancarty's  ranked  highest,  but  Lord  Lismore's  and 
the  French  Park  were  much  thought  of.  The  purity  of  the  Maurice 
O'Connor  dogs  is  a  moot  point,  some  looking  back  to  them  with  much 
respect,  others,  and  good  authorities  too,  denying  that  they  were  ever  the 
real  thing. 

"The  dogs  of  the  Dillon  breed  are  said  to  have  been  powerful,  wiry, 
active  dogs — some  red,  some  red  and  white;  but  that  the  latter  colour 
showed  only  on  face  and  chest,  not  much  of  it;  the  coat  with  a  slight  wave, 
but  no  curl  whatever.     They  were  headstrong  in  temper,  without  much 


170  The  Dog  Book 

innate  point,  and  rather  deficient  in  nose,  as  they  are  to  this  day,  and  never 
to  be  broken  in  the  first  season,  and  very  often  not  till  the  third;  but  that 
then,  their  temper  taming  down,  and  their  sagacity  improving  by  experience, 
they  often  become  most  admirable  dogs.  Their  constitutions  were  so 
vigorous  that  they  lived  to  a  great  age,  and  were  serviceable  even  up  to  the 
thirteenth  or  fourteenth  years.  None  of  the  authorities  which  I  have 
consulted  will  admit  of  a  pure  descendant  of  the  old  race  having  a  black 
stain;  they  consider  it  as  undeniable  proof  of  a  cross. 

"There  were  also  two  other  well  established  breeds  in  Ireland — one 
smaller  and  lighter  in  all  ways  than  the  red.  These  had  better  noses  and 
were  more  tractable,  and  it  is  supposed  that  it  is  from  a  cross  with  them 
that  the  black  and  tan  arises.  I  have  seen  some  of  these  dogs  myself; 
they  were  good  but  not  handsome  animals.  The  last  I  saw  was  with  Lord 
Howth,  and  he  was  very  fond  of  them.  The  other  breed — the  white  and 
red  [This  is  different  from  the  red  and  white  and  was  a  setter  mainly  white, 
with  red  splashes. — Ed.]  claims  equal  antiquity  with  the  red,  and  many 
consider  them  to  have  been  as  good  as  the  red  in  all  respects  and  superior 
in  point  of  nose.  I  have  seen  these  dogs,  magnificent  in  appearance  and 
excellent  in  the  field,  but  have  not  met  them  lately,  though  no  doubt  they 
are  to  be  found.  I  know  they  were  highly  thought  of  eighty  or  ninety  years 
ago,  because  a  certain  General  White — a  grand  uncle  of  mine,  who  died 
about  1802,  and  was,  perhaps,  one  of  the  first  Englishmen  who  ever  took  a 
moor  in  Scotland — used  to  bring  his  setters  from  Ireland,  and  I  have  heard 
my  father  say  that  the  General's  favourite  breed  was  the  white  and  red; 
in  fact,  I  distinctly  remember  seeing  some  of  the  descendants.  These  dogs 
were,  and  are  still  more  or  less  curly."  Here  might  be  ground  for 
Stonehenge's  claim  of  Irish  in  the  Gordons  if  we  could  connect  General 
Whyte  and  the  Duke  of  Gordon  in  any  exchange,  for  a  red  and  white 
dog  was  included  in  the  Castle  sale  of  1836. 

It  will  not  be  out  of  place  here  to  recall  the  extract  made  from  "Nim- 
rod's"  "Sporting,"  which  was  quoted  in  Part  II,  wherein  he  described 
having  seen  the  old  Flintshire  Squire  netting  partridges  with  a  leash  of  red 
and  white  setters. 

Also  to  point  out,  before  leaving  this  discussion  as  to  colour,  that  Mr. 
Laverack  drew  particular  attention  to  a  blood  red  and  white  setter  hav- 
ing been  shown  him  by  the  keeper  at  the  La  Touche  kennels  as  the 
best  he  had.     Also    that    the   grand-dam    on    the   sire's   side   of   Captain 


DR.    WM.    JARVIS  S    IMPORTED    SIGNAL 
Photograph  taken  on  game  in  South  Carolina 


CHA.MliuN     RUbL-CHAMPlON   ELCHu 
No  photograph  of  these  celebrities  is  in  existence,  tliis  being  a  repruiiuction  of  fopes  illustratiun  of  typical  Irisli  Setters 


The   Irish  Setter  171 

Hutchinson's  Bob  was  a  red  and  white  bitch  in  the  Misses  Ledwidge's 
kennels,  a  fact  not  mentioned  by  Captain  Hutchinson  or  by  Mr.  Knox, 
who  owned  a  brother  to  Bob. 

What  seems  to  be  very  clearly  demonstrated  is  that  the  setter  in  Ireland 
at  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and  for  fifty  years  after  that, 
was  much  in  the  same  condition  as  the  setter  in  England,  where  owners 
bred  along  lines  of  their  own  fancy  and  created  strains.  Finally,  with  the 
advent  of  dog  shows  and  the  opportunities  for  comparison,  came  the  process 
of  concentration  on  the  best  looking  and  most  attractive  dog,  with  the 
dropping  out  of  the  others. 

In  Lee's  "Modern  Dogs"  (London,  1893),  there  is  a  long  communication 
from  Mr.  W.  C.  Bennett,  of  Dublin,  "who  has  made  this  variety  a  hobby." 
Mr.  Bennett  in  turn  obtained  his  information  of  old  times  from  Mr.  Mahon, 
of  Galway,  then  eighty  years  of  age;  from  Mr.  John  Bennett,  of  King's 
County,  and  from  Mr.  John  G.  King,  also  of  King's  County.  There  is 
nothing  very  new  in  the  information  given.  All  agree  that  at  an  early  date 
the  parti-coloured  red  and  white  dog,  or  more  properly  speaking  the  white 
and  red  dog,  was  not  only  more  numerous,  but  a  better  field  dog.  The 
evidence  given  regarding  the  O'Connor  strain  is  that  it  was  red.  Mr.  King 
states  that  a  gamekeeper  once  brought  him  a  self-coloured  dog  as  a  rarity. 
Mr.  King  also  states  that  the  ladies  Mr.  Laverack  mentions  as  the  Misses 
Ledwidge  were  the  Misses  Ledwell,  though  it  was  sometimes  erroneously 
pronounced  Ledwich.  He  further  states  that  he  saw  Miss  Ledwell  shortly 
after  the  visit  of  Mr.  Laverack,  who,  she  said,  wanted  to  take  her  dog  to 
England  to  cross  with  his  strain,  but  she  refused  to  lend  or  sell  the  dog. 

The  Early  Show  Setters 

Of  the  early  Irish  setters  we  know  by  name  in  connection  with  shows 
the  most  prominent  was  Captain  Hutchinson's  Bob,  a  wide  fronted,  thick 
shouldered  dog,  and  described  on  one  page  by  "Idstone"  as  a  Suffolk  cart- 
horse and  cumbrous,  and  a  little  farther  on  as  "good  all  over,  formed  in 
exact  proportion,  and  with  substance  as  well  as  symmetry."  The  reader 
can  make  his  choice  as  to  which  description  may  be  correct.  His  colour 
was  perfect  and  he  was  free  from  white.  Soon  after  that  Mr.  Macdona 
brought  out  Plunket  at  the  field  trials  and  did  great  things  with  him. 

The  best  description  of  this  famous  dog  is  from  the  pen  of  "  Idstone," 


172  The  Dog  Book 

who  wrote  as  follows:  "This  setter  is  not  of  the  deep  red  I  have  described, 
but — and  this  is  of  more  importance — he  is  of  the  correct  formation,  conse- 
quently he  is  a  high  ranger,  quick  in  his  turns,  light  in  his  gallop,  with  a 
thorough  command  in  action,  enabling  him  to  pull  up  and  finish  in  style. 
He  is  narrow  in  front,  with  a  capital  forehand,  a  fine  lean  head,  a  full  hazel 
eye,  a  large  liver  nose  and  nostrils,  which  expand  when  they  catch  the  wind. 
He  has  the  long  taper  neck,  the  broad  back,  the  ragged  hips,  the  strong 
hind-quarters,  the  firm  small  foot,  the  long  muscular  thighs  of  the  genuine 
Irish  setter,  suitable  for  the  rough  sporting  of  his  native  island,  or  the 
Scotch  mountains  and  granite  boulders,  and  though  not  of  that  rich  red 
which  you  see  on  the  thoroughbred  chestnut,  as,  in  the  highest  condition, 
he  takes  his  canter  before  the  stand  at  Epsom  on  a  May  morning,  in  the  sun, 
or  the  stain  of  the  red  beech  leaves  in  early  autumn,  or  the  burnt  sienna- 
like tint  of  an  old  Scotch  fir,  or  of  that  deep  red  ochre  sand  which  you  come 
upon  fresh  turned  up  in  some  Berkshire  lane  (and  not  one  of  these  illustra- 
tions gives  a  thorough  notion  of  the  Irish  setter  red,  as  I  could  desire  to 
give  it),  you  have  in  him  and  his  class  the  quality,  the  pace,  endurance 
and  style  which,  to  my  mind,  are  to  be  obtained  in  few  others  of  what  I 
consider  the  best  dogs  for  the  moor  and  the  gun." 

Dr.  Jarvis  on  His  Specialty 

The  name  of  Dr.  William  Jarvis  of  Claremont,  N.  H.,  is  so  associated 
with  the  Irish  setter  in  this  country  that  to  omit  securing  from  him  some 
information  or  comments  on  the  breed  would  have  been  an  oversight  akin 
to  the  proverbial  omission  of  the  prince  in  "  Hamlet."  In  response  to  a  re- 
quest for  a  contribution  from  his  pen  we  received  much  more  than  we 
had  any  reason  to  hope  for,  and  with  infinite  satisfaction  we  find  space  for 
his  communication,  full  as  it  is  of  information  and  opinions  based  upon 
intimate  knowledge  of  his  subject. 

"Perhaps  no  other  breed  of  shooting  dog  has  caused  such  a  war  of 
words  as  to  colour,  form  and  quality.  Some  have  asserted  that  the  frame  of 
the  Irish  dog  is  modelled  much  like  the  best  English  specimens,  and  that 
his  coat  is  of  the  same  texture,  the  only  difference  in  the  breeds  being  in 
colour,  while  others  say  he  has  a  coarser  coat  and  is  more  bony  and  mus- 
cular than  his  English  cousin.  There  is  no  breed  known  that  produces  a 
thoroughly  typical  specimen  every  time — I  was  about  to  write  a  perfect 


The  Irish   Setter  173 

specimen,  but  anything  of  that  nature  is  so  exceptional  that  to  use  the 
word  would  obscure  my  meaning.  That  Irish  setters  have  been,  are  and 
always  will  be  framed  after  the  English  model  is  perfectly  true,  but  that 
by  no  means  proves  that  the  type  of  the  two  varieties  is  similar,  any  more 
than  the  variations  of  the  English  setter  towards  the  Irish  type  would  prove 
that  that  is  correct  for  the  English. 

"  The  typical  Irish  setter  stands  a  little  higher  than  either  the  English 
or  Gordon  setter  and  is  very  blood-like  or  thoroughbred  in  appearance. 
His  head  is  long,  lean,  narrow,  high  over  the  forehead  and  prominent  at 
the  occiput,  the  muzzle  of  good  length,  the  lips  deep  but  not  too  pendulous. 
There  should  be  a  well  defined  and  cleanly  chiselled  stop;  the  ears  should 
be  set  low  and  lightly  feathered,  hanging  closely  to  the  head,  and  reaching, 
when  extended,  nearly  to  the  end  of  the  nose,  which  should  be  dark  in 
colour;  a  light  flesh-coloured  nose,  though  possessed  by  some  dogs  of  good 
breeding,  is  by  no  means  desirable.  The  eyes  should  be  hazel  or  rich  brown, 
not  a  gooseberry  colour;  soft  and  gentle  when  at  rest,  but  full  of  fire  and 
animation  when  aroused.  The  neck  long,  lean,  clearly  defined  where  it 
joins  the  head  and  set  well  into  a  pair  of  sloping  shoulders.  Elbows  well 
let  down,  forelegs  straight  and  feet  well  supplied  with  hair  between  the 
toes  and  with  thick  sound  pads.  Chest  deep,  rather  narrow  in  front, 
but  with  plenty  of  lung  room;  ribs  well  sprung;  loin  arched  and  strong; 
stifles  well  bent  and  thighs  broad  and  muscular.  The  hips  are  somewhat 
ragged  but  indicative  of  great  power.  A  tail  of  moderate  length  tapering 
to  a  point  and  carried  with  no  twist  or  curl.  The  coat  should  be  short  and 
flat,  but  soft  to  the  touch  and  like  spun  silk  where  it  extends  into  what  is 
technically  called  feathering. 

"The  colour  of  the  Irish  setter  is  like  the  red  of  polished  mahogany,  with 
no  yellowish  cast,  but  'In  gloss  and  hue  the  chestnut,  when  the  shell  divides 
three-fold  to  show  the  fruit  within.'  This  red,  which  may  vary  from  a  bright 
shade  to  a  deep  rich  hue,  belongs  exclusively  and  by  right  of  inheritance  to 
the  Irish  setter,  and  excepting  a  little  white  that  appears  occasionally  on  the 
head,  chest  or  feet  of  many  good  specimens,  is  the  only  legitimate  colour. 

"The  statement  that  as  a  breed  they  are  more  difl&cult  to  control 
than  other  setters  that  have  made  their  variety  famous  at  field  trials,  or  that 
they  train  later  in  life,  is  contrary  to  my  experience,  and  I  have  owned,  bred 
and  shot  over  Irish  setters  on  all  varieties  of  feathered  game  North  and 
South  since   1868.     Besides  which,  here  are  potent  facts  of  record  to  the 


174  The  Dog  Book 

contrary:  Coleraine  was  only  twelve  months  old  when  she  won  the  English 
Kennel  Club  Setter  Derby;  Aveline,  the  beautiful,  was  but  fourteen  months 
when  she  was  second  in  her  Derby,  and  Signal  but  sixteen  months  when 
he  made  his  great  record  of  first  puppy,  second  St.  Leger,  fourth  Irish 
All-Ages  Stakes,  and  ran  the  great  setter  Fred  (winner  of  Third  Grand 
All-Ages  Stakes),  at  the  Irish  Grouse  Trials,  such  a  heat  that  Fred's  handler 
said  at  its  conclusion:  'I  shall  always  have  a  great  regard  for  Signal,  and 
both  fit  and  well,  should  like  to  see  them  draw^n  together  again.  He  is 
the  best  dog  Fred  has  ever  met.  His  son,  Young  Signal,  was  but  sixteen 
months  when  he  was  second  in  the  St.  Leger  Stakes,  second  All-Ages 
Stakes  (for  all  breeds)  and  third  in  the  Irish  All-Ages  Stakes  at  the  Irish 
Grouse  Trials  of  1893. 

"Dr.  J.  H.  Salter,  who  judged  the  Irish  Grouse  Trials  in  1889,  was 
certainly  surprised  at  what  he  saw  at  the  trials,  where  some  of  the  best 
English  setters  and  pointers  competed,  for  he  wrote  as  follows :  '  It  has  cer- 
tainly done  one  thing,  and  that  is  to  establish  the  Irish  setter,  when  properly 
broken  and  handled,  as  equal,  if  not  superior  to  the  best  English  setters 
and  pointers.  For  pace,  endurance,  cleverness  and  game  finding  sense 
give  me  an  Irish  setter  such  as  Henmore,  Sure  Death  and  Mac's  Little 
Nell.'  Corroborative  of  that  is  this  extract  from  the  l^ondon  Field:  'To 
Sure  Death  would  undoubtedly  have  gone  the  Champion  cup,  had  she  not 
been  so  hard  run.  How  she  went  over  the  ground  even  in  the  earlier  part 
cf  her  last  course,  after  running  during  the  last  three  days  no  fewer  than 
ten  trials,  some  of  which  were  prolonged  ones,  must  have  been  seen  to  be 
believed.  We  fancy  she  is  even  faster  than  Mac's  Little  Nell;  her  style  is 
smart  and  clean;  she  knows  where  to  look  for  birds  and  possesses  a  fine 
nose.  We  do  not  expect  to  find  such  a  prodigy  as  a  dog  that  can  gallop 
around  her  or  take  the  outside  beat.' 

"Mr.  Rawdon  B.  Lee  in  'Modern  Dogs'  (and  Mr.  Lee  has  been  the 
London  Field  kennel  reporter  for  years  now),  writes:  'When  properly 
and  perfectly  trained,  the  red  setter  has  shown  us  that  no  variety  can  beat 
him.  I  should  not  conscientiously  say  that  from  what  I  have  observed 
in  his  work  of  late  years,  and  I  have  seen  all  the  best  dogs  run,  that  the 
Irish  setter  is  as  dashing,  as  energetic,  as  stylish  as  the  best  English  dog  I 
ever  saw.  I  believe  he  will,  as  a  rule,  do  a  long  and  hard  day's  work  better 
than  any  other  breed  of  setter.  His  stamina  is  extraordinary,  and  the 
shooting  man  who  has  a  wide  expanse  of  moor  upon  which  birds  are  scarce 


Photograph  taken   on   game   in    North   Carolina 


IMPORTED    HEN  MORE   SHAMROCK 
A  dog  of  an  excellent  field-ttials  strain 


The  Irish   Setter  175 

and  require  a  great  deal  of  finding,  and  the  walking  is  arduous,  can  find 
no  better  dog  for  the  purpose  than  a  properly  trained  and  staunch  red 
setter.  Such  a  dog  will  work  hard  all  day  and  not  give  up  in  disgust  about 
noon  because  he  has  failed  to  locate  more  than  an  old  bird  or  two.  I  shall 
never  forget  that  big  strong  dog  Wrestler  that  ran  in  the  Irish  Trials  of  189 1. 
Each  morning  he  followed,  or  rather  preceded  the  cars  during  the  long 
ten  miles  drive  to  the  moors,  on  his  way  racing  over  the  fields  and  enclosures, 
and  indeed  doing  an  ordinary  day's  work  before  the  trials  commenced, 
and  when  he  did  run  his  first  heat  he  was  even  then  too  wild.  No  Laverack 
or  Gordon  setter  would  have  been  allowed  to  do  this,  and  it  must  have 
proved  too  much  even  for  those  untiring  liver  and  white  little  dogs  to  which 
allusion  has  previously  been  made  in  the  article  on  English  setters.'  Wrestler, 
although  defeated  in  the  Grand  All-Ages  Stakes  by  the  famous  English 
setter  Fred  at  the  English  Trials  of  1891,  won  the  prize  for  second  best  of 
any  breed,  and  later  on  had  his  revenge  by  defeating  Fred,  among  others, 
and  winning  outright  the  International  All-Ages  Stakes  at  the  Irish 
Grouse  Trials. 

"To  come  nearer  home,  we  have  that  well  known  artist-sportsman,  the 
late  J.  M.  Tracy,  in  his  article  on  setters  and  pointers  in  'Shooting on  Upland, 
Marsh  and  Stream':  'The  very  best  field  dog  I  ever  saw  was  an  Irish 
setter.  For  those  who  shoot  a  great  deal,  and  work  the  same  dog  on  a 
great  variety  of  game,  there  is  no  dog  like  a  good  Irish  setter.' 

"Is  it  not  strange  in  view  of  what  has  been  done  abroad  and  the  good 
opinions  so  many  hold  in  this  country  that  the  Irish  setter  has  not  been 
more  conspicuous  in  our  field  trials,  and  stranger  still  that  he  has  absolutely 
disappeared  from  public  competition.  But  before  condemning  the  breed 
in  its  entirety  on  that  account  it  is  well  to  remember  that  there  are  probably 
one  hundred  English  setters  and  pointers  bred  in  this  country  to  one  Irish 
setter,  and  that  the  proportion  of  dollars  spent  is  still  greater.  Given  any- 
thing like  an  even  chance,  such  as  there  is  to  be  obtained  abroad  and  has  been 
at  some  trials  in  this  country  in  former  years,  the  Irish  setter  has  generally 
rendered  an  account  of  himself  that  lovers  of  the  breed  have  felt  proud  of. 

Early  Importations 

"That  we  have  imported  some  of  the  very  best  blood  cannot  be  denied, 
but  something  beyond  that  is  necessary  to  bring  them  to  the  front  in  this 
country.     The  records  prove  that  they  can  win  if  properly  selected,  trained 


176  The  Dog  Book 

and  handled  [fairly  judged  ought  to  be  added. — Ed.]  notwithstanding 
their  being  so  far  outnumbered.  Among  the  earlier  importations  were 
Erin  and  Loo  11.  by  Mr.  Charles  H.  Turner  of  St.  Louis,  the  former  winning 
the  Greenwood  Plate  Stakes  for  Irish  setters  and  first  in  Brace  Stakes  with 
an  English  setter  at  the  Tennessee  Trials  in  1876.  Loo  IL  when  bred  to 
Elcho,  another  importation  to  the  West,  produced  Champion  Berkley, 
second  in  Open  Puppy  Stakes  at  Hampton,  Iowa,  1879.  Prior  to  that,  how- 
ever, the  late  E.  F.  Stoddard,  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  had  imported  Bob,  Duck 
and  Friend,  names  which  appear  in  many  pedigrees  when  carried  back 
to  the  old  days.  Friend  won  the  open  Champion  Stakes  at  Sauk  Centre, 
Minn.,  in  1878,  beating  among  others  such  pronounced  good  dogs  as  San- 
born's Nellie,  of  the  best  field  trials  strain  of  the  day,  also  the  pointers 
Ranger  and  Countess  Royal.  In  the  East  in  the  following  year  an  Irish 
setter  but  nineteen  months  old  won  second  in  the  All-Ages  Stakes  of  the  East- 
ern Field  Trials  Club.  The  reds  also  won  First  Puppy  Stakes  the  following 
year  and  the  Members'  Stakes  in  188 1  and  1884.  An  Irish  setter  divided  the 
Members'  Stakes  at  Grand  Junction,  Tenn.,  and  at  Fairmount,  Minn.,  in 
1882;  one  divided  fourth  in  the  Derby,  while  Champion  Biz  did  the  same 
in  the  All- Ages  and  defeated  the  great  Count  Noble  in  one  of  his  heats;  and 
Patsy  D.  divided  second  with  the  famous  Lillian  in  the  (Free- For- All) 
Western  Field  Trials,  1885.  His  defeat  by  Trinket's  Bang,  winner  of 
first,  'was  attributed  more  to  his  trainer  and  handling  than  to  himself,' 
owing  to  the  fact  that  he  was  trained  to  flush  his  own  birds. 

"At  the  Fisher's  Island,  Philadelphia  Kennel  Club  and  New  Jersey 
Kennel  Club  trials  the  Irish  setters  always  played  a  prominent  part,  and  at 
these  trials  conditions  were  equal  as  to  the  fancies  of  the  owners  as  between 
English  and  Irish  and  pointers.  Last  year  a  show  winner  with  only  the 
slightest  training  was  started  at  the  Indiana  Club  Trials  and  was  placed 
fourth,  while  the  Members'  Stakes  of  the  International  Club  Trials  went  to 
an  Irish  setter.  As  only  Irish  setters  competed  at  the  Irish  Setter  Club 
Trials,  reference  to  those  are  omitted,  but  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  they 
brought  out  some  very  good  dogs,  and  it  is  to  be  deplored  that  those  meetings 
have  been  discontinued. 

Irish    Field   Trials   Winners  Abroad 

"Still  we  must  look  abroad  to  secure  the  telling  facts  regarding  the 
ability  of  the  Irish  setter  in  field  competition,  and  we  must  continue  to  do 


The   Irish    Setter  177 

so  just  so  long  as  the  prejudice  or  animosity  against  them  in  this  country 
continues  to  exist.  Let  the  reader  put  himself  in  this  position  for  a  moment. 
Suppose  he  wanted  to  import  a  dog  suitable  for  almost  any  work  a  setter 
is  called  upon  to  perform,  and  with  a  view  of  a  run  in  a  field  trials  meeting 
if  all  went  well.  He  would  naturally  turn  to  the  foreign  sources  of  infor- 
mation and  he  would  find  such  facts  as  I  am  now  about  to  give. 

"The  first  Irish  setter  to  gain  prominence  in  field  trials  was  Plunket, 
a  dog  placed  on  a  very  high  level  by  that  eminent  authority  Stonehenge 
in  summing  up  the  merits  of  all  the  field  trials  winners  up  to  1878.  'Ranger 
may  be  classed  Ai  among  field  trials  winners  in  a  quintet  including  Drake, 
Countess,  Dash  II.  and  Belle;  the  Irish  setter  Plunket  approaching  them 
very  nearly,  but  not  quite  reaching  their  level.'  Later  on  he  says  regarding 
the  great  Dan,  the  half — or  quarter  is  it — foundation  of  the  Llewellyns: 
*I  have  no  hesitation  in  placing  him  below  the  first  class;  but  possibly  he 
is  entitled  to  rank  in  the  second  along  with  Plunket  and  his  son  and  daughter. 
Kite  and  Music  (Irish),  together  with  Kate,  Rex  and  Lang  (Gordons).' 
Thus  we  have  of  the  'Old  Guard'  of  field  trials  performers,  three  Irish 
named  in  the  list  of  twelve  best  performers,  with  but  one  pointer  in  the  lot. 

"Subsequent  to  that  summing  up  we  had  'the  beautiful'  Aveline,  as 
she  was  called;  she  has  been  already  referred  to  and  the  story  of  her  great 
work  need  not  be  repeated.  Airnie,  by  a  son  of  Frisco  out  of  a  daughter  of 
Cocksure, won  the  Puppy  Stakes  at  the  English  K.  C. Trials,  and  by  defeating 
a  pointer  became  the  winner  of  the  Derby;  second,  third  and  fourth  in  the 
Puppy  Stakes  also  going  to  the  Irish.  Airnie  was  also  second  at  the  National 
Trials;  second  in  the  St.  Leger  Stakes  and  Irish  Setter  Puppy  Stakes  at  the 
Irish  Grouse  Trials  in  the  same  year,  and  second  the  following  year  in  the 
All-Ages  Stakes  at  the  same  meeting.  She  was  bred  by  Col.  J.  K.  Milner, 
who  owned  her  sire  and  dam.  Cocksure,  it  must  not  be  forgotten,  was 
also  the  sire  of  Mac's  Little  Nell,  winner  of  First  Puppy  1885,  Second  All- 
Ages  and  Brace  Stakes  1886,  Irish  Grouse  Trials;  Second  All-Ages  English 
K.  C,  1888;  First  All- Ages,  and  Brace  Stakes,  Irish  Grouse  Trials,  1889; 
Second  All- Ages  and  Third  Grand  All-Ages,  same  club,  1890. 

"Isinglass,  the  only  Irish  setter  at  the  National  Trials  in  1893,  was 
second  to  Fancy  Fair,  beating  Mr.  Llewellyn's  Jessie  Wind'em.  He  was 
also  second  for  the  Setter  Derby,  and  second  for  the  Puppy  Stakes.  At  the 
Irish  Trials  he  won  the  St.  Leger  Stakes  for  Irish  setters  and  was  third 
in  the  All-Ages  Stakes  for  all  breeds.     Isinglass  was  by  Wrestler,  the  dog 


178  The  Dog  Book 

specially  spoken  of  by  Mr.  Rawdon  B.  Lee  in  the  quotation  already  given 
from  'Modern  Dogs.'  The  dam  of  Isinglass  was  Henmore  Shotover, 
second  Irish  Puppy  and  Irish  All- Ages  Stakes,  Irish  Trials,  1889.  She  was 
a  daughter  of  Henmore  Refina,  'the  very  best  field  dog  I  ever  owned,'  Mr. 
Cooper  wrote  me,  and  she  was  of  Palmerston-Elcho  blood  and  full  sister 
to  the  dam  of  Wrestler  and  Woodbine,  second  Grand  All-Ages  Stakes  for 
setters  and  pointers,  the  Irish  Henmore  Sure  Death  being  first,  at  the  Irish 
Trials,  1889. 

"In  the  All- Ages  Stakes  of  the  English  Kennel  Club  of  1896  the  only 
Irish  setter  out  of  fourteen  competitors  was  Punchestown,  and  he  was 
placed  second,  the  London  Field  stating  that  he  should  have  won.  He  was 
also  first  at  the  National  trials  and  won  three  firsts  at  the  Irish  meeting. 
This  was  a  strongly  inbred  Palmerston-Elcho  dog  and,  I  might  almost 
say  consequently,  was  one  of  the  greatest  show-winners  of  his  day. 

"Breaking  away  for  a  spell  from  the  performance  record  I  will  quote 
from  the  London  Field  regarding  the  good  looks  of  Irish  field  dogs,  the 
occasion  being  the  first  field  trials  held  in  Ireland:  'With  the  working  of 
the  Irish  setters  we  were  generally  pleased.  They  bore  the  character 
of  being  headstrong,  wild  rangers,  disobedient  to  whistle  and  wilful  in  the 
extreme.  To  none  of  these  not  gentle  impeachments  did  we  find  them 
more  prone,  or  even  as  much  so  as  their  cousins  of  the  Laverack,  Llewellyn 
or  any  other  variety.  So  uniformly  handsome  a  lot  of  dogs  never  before 
ran  at  trials;  indeed,  about  one-third  of  the  animals  running  had  appeared 
and  been  successful  before  what  are  known  as  bench  show  judges.  A  fact 
of  this  kind  is  so  contrary  to  the  ruling  that  obtains  either  at  the  National 
or  Kennel  Club  Trials  as  to  be  quite  remarkable.  An  English  setter  having 
a  record — i.  e.,  as  a  winner  both  on  the  bench  and  in  the  field — is  indeed 
a  rarity,  but  here,  at  the  first  trial  of  Irish  setters,  we  have  a  best  on  record 
obtained  immediately.  In  so  far  the  strain  common  to  the  Emerald  Isle 
possesses  a  great  advantage.' 

"Aveline  was  well  styled  'the  beautiful,'  and  justified  that  by  winning 
first  in  the  field  trials  class  for  all  breeds  at  the  English  Kennel  Club  show. 
Plunket  was  also  a  show-winner,  though  not  of  high  type  himself,  and 
neither  did  he  get  anything  that  was,  excepting,  perhaps.  Kite  and  Knowing. 
Although  a  good-looking  dog,  he  was  much  darker  in  colour,  when  I  saw 
him,  than  he  was  generally  reputed  to  be,  but  was  not  nearly  so  typical  as 
his  full  brother  Rover,  used  as  the  best  illustration  obtainable  in  one  of 


PALMERSTUN 
The  only  known  photograph  of  this  celebrat  d  dog  which  set  the  type  fur  the  Irish  Setter.    Taken  when  he  was  very  old 


GLENMORE    KENNELS'   IMPORTED    FINGLAS 


Photo  by  Schreibc 


i 


The   Irish  Setter  179 

the  'Stonehenge'  editions.  In  1875  I  imported  a  daughter  of  Plunket, 
a  sister  to  the  field  trials  winner  Kite,  which,  according  to  Mr.  Teasdale 
Buckell,  was  one  of  the  best  working  setters  in  England,  but  my  purchase 
did  not  prove  satisfactory,  so  the  following  year  I  got  over  a  granddaughter 
of  Hutchinson's  Bob;  a  far  better  specimen  than  the  Plunket  bitch  and  very 
good  on  game,  but  unfortunately  she  died  before  I  had  any  produce 
from  her. 

"Getting  back  to  the  record  at  the  point  we  took  this  little  recess, 
we  find  two  Barton's,  each  playing  a  part,  in  the  trials,  Mick  being  second 
at  the  English  K.  C.  trials  and  Punch  taking  second  at  the  Irish  fixture. 
These  were  both  of  Palmerston  and  Elcho  blood.  Regalia  was  another 
good  winner  in  1891.  She  was  second  in  the  Irish  Puppy  Stakes,  Signal 
winning;  third  Irish  All-Ages  Stakes,  first  in  the  Setter  St.  Leger  and  abso- 
lute winner  of  the  stakes,  beating  the  English  field  trials  winning  pointer 
Bertha  of  Draycott.  In  1892  and  1893  she  won  the  Irish  All- Ages  Stake, 
while  her  full  sister  Clonsilla  was  first  in  the  St.  Leger  at  the  Irish  trials  and 
second  for  the  Acton  Reynald  Stakes  at  the  English  K.  C.  meeting.  These 
were  of  Palmerston  and  Elcho  blood. 

"Then  there  was  that  good  dog  Blue  Rock,  a  brother  to  Signal  and  Miss 
Signal.  Blue  Rock  won  first  in  the  Setter  St.  Leger  and  won  the  stakes 
outright,  was  second  in  the  Irish  Puppy  Stakes  and  fourth  in  the  All-Ages 
Stakes  and  reserve  for  the  Twenty  Guineas  Challenge  Cup,  his  competitors 
including  all  the  winners  at  the  Irish  Trials  of  1890. 

"  Ben  Sullivan  was  the  only  Irish  competitor  out  of  sixteen  in  the  All- 
Ages  Stakes  at  the  English  K.  C.  trials  of  1897  and  won  the  stakes,  while 
two  years  prior  he  was  placed  third  against  seventeen  competitors.  The 
Grand  Challenge  Cup  for  pointers  and  setters  at  the  Irish  Trials  of  1903 
was  won  by  Donegal  Rake,  while  his  full  brother,  Strabane  Palm,  was  first  in 
the  Irish  Setter  All-Ages  Stakes  of  1902  and  1903.  But  there  is  little  need 
to  prolong  the  record,  so  it  will  be  closed  with  this  summary:  Third  in 
the  English  K.  C.  Derby  of  1890;  second,  1893;  third,  1894;  second  and 
fifth,  1896;  first  and  equal  fifth,  1897.  An  Irish  setter  was  also  placed  in 
1904,  and  the  winner  of  fourth  in  the  English  Kennel  Club  All-Ages  Stakes 
of  1905  was  the  only  Irish  setter  entry  among  twenty-two  competitors. 

"Surely  that  is  a  most  creditable  showing  when  one  considers  that  the 
breed  is  so  much  fewer  in  numbers  than  the  English  setters  and  the  pointers. 
And  does  it  not  amply  support  the  claim  that,  properly  selected,  bred,. 


i8o  The  Dog  Book 

reared,  and  developed  as  other  varieties  are,  the  Irish  setter  would  make 
its  mark  at  our  public  trials  ?  It  must  not  be  forgotten  that  at  one  time  the 
pointer  was  all  but  as  much  out  of  it  as  the  Irish  is  now,  but  cash  and  brains 
were  put  into  the  business  of  pushing  the  pointer,  and  with  success.  The 
most  ardent  supporter  of  the  present  fashionable  English  setter  for  field 
trials  could  not  ask  for  an  opinion  that  he  would  not  sooner  accept  than 
from  Teasdale  Buckell,  the  former  henchman  of  Mr.  Llewellyn  and  the 
exploiter  of  the  Llewellyn  setter,  and  they  cannot  therefore  decry  his  published 
opinion  to  the  following  effect:  'The  Irish  are  tractable,  easily  broken, 
and  fast,  very  fast.  I  never  saw  one  with  the  pace  of  Dan,  but  as  a  breed 
there  is  none  faster.  They  are  exceedingly  staunch,  and  you  cannot  look 
at  them  without  their  understanding  you.  There  is  no  false  point  in  the 
breed.  They  are  exceedingly  handsome,  of  a  rich  dark  red,  with  more  or 
less  white.' 

"Having  disposed  of  the  working  section  of  the  Irish  setter,  it  is  only 
proper  to  deal  with  his  show  qualities  and  record,  and  that  I  will  do  in  a 
brief  historical  manner.  The  first  class  for  Irish  setters  was  made  at 
Birmingham  in  i860,  and  three  years  later  Hutchinson's  Bob  came  out  and 
won  there  as  also  at  the  monumental  Cremorne  fiasco  and  at  Islington  in 
1864.  His  likeness  is  given  in  an  early  edition  of  'Stonehenge.'  Bob 
was  a  field  dog  of  well  known  merit.  In  1867  Captain  Allaway  exhibited 
Shot,  a  dog  considered  so  excellent  in  type  and  so  handsome  that  he  beat 
the  Laverack  setter  Fred  II.  at  a  leading  show  for  the  setter  cup.  In  1871 
Ranger  was  shown  by  Captain  Cooper  and  he  did  a  lot  of  winning.  He 
was  by  Bob  out  of  a  bitch  of  La  Touche  blood.  A  good  deal  has  been  said 
in  the  press  that  some  of  the  La  Touche  setters  were  black  or  had  black  in 
their  coats,  but  Colonel  Milner,  who  knew  well  the  setters  of  his  country 
and  has  a  reputation  as  a  breeder  of  the  Irish  setter,  wrote  me  some  time 
ago:  'It  would  be  useless  to  tell  Irish  setter  breeders  here  that  the  La 
Touche  setters  had  a  black  strain  in  them.'  Colonel  Milner  also  wrote  as 
to  the  red  and  white  setters:  'There  is  and  was  at  the  same  time  as  the 
reds,  strains  of  red  and  white  setters,  and  prizes  are  still  offered  at  one 
show  in  Ireland  for  them.  They  look  best  when  the  red  and  white  are  about 
equal.  I  have  never  seen  one  so  well  shaped  as  the  best  reds.  They  are 
supposed  to  be  as  good  in  the  field.'  It  is  not  the  red  and  white  dog  that 
has  made  the  breed  known  world-wide,  but  the  reds,  and  the  Irish  setter 
is  now  and  always  will  be  the  red  dog. 


The   Irish    Setter  i8i 

Advent  of  Palmerston 

"The  next  dog  of  note  was  Dr.  Stone's  Dash,  but  when  Palmerston 
came  out  he  ecHpsed  everything.  Palmerston  was  a  dog  well  on  in  years 
when  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Hilliard  for  show  purposes.  He  was 
bred  by  Mr.  Cecil  Moore,  who  had  large  shootings  and  kept  his  red  setters 
for  that  purpose.  When  Palmerston  was  shown  it  was  impossible  to  give 
his  date  of  birth,  and  that  is  'not  known'  on  the  records.  He  was  out  of 
Kate,  a  bitch  shown  by  a  Mr.  Cochrane  at  Birmingham  in  1871,  without 
a  pedigree  or  any  particulars  and  with  which  he  won  first.  Palmerston 
was  bred  by  Mr.  Moore  before  Cochrane  got  Kate  and  he  was  seven 
years  old  before  Mr.  Hillard  got  him  for  show  purposes.  When  he  was 
shown  at  Belfast  in  1875  Mr.  Sandell,  better  known  to  many  as 
*'  Caractacus,"  and  who  was  associated  with  Messrs.  Lort  and  Walker  as 
judges,  stated  that  the  scales  which  had  for  so  long  been  unbalanced  as  to 
Irish  setter  type  were  so  no  longer.  So  struck  was  he  by  Palmerston 
and  such  of  his  get  as  he  then  saw,  that  he  obtained  an  interest  in  him 
and  later  on  was  in  charge  of  the  dog  when  he  was  being  exhibited  in 
England.  His  breeding  is  not  properly  stated  in  the  English  stud  book 
and  should  be  as  follows:  By  Cecil  Moore's  Grouse  out  of  his  Kate,  by 
Mr.  Hazzard's  Grouse  out  of  his  Belle,  by  the  Earl  of  Enniskillen's 
Grouse.  Mr.  Moore's  Grouse  by  Mr.  Evan's  Shot  out  of  Mr.  Lloyd's 
Kate. 

"He  was  a  revelation  to  Irish  setter  breeders,  as  were  his  daughters 
Kate,  Kittie,  Mina,  Bella  and  Rose,  and  believing  that  this  blood  would 
be  of  benefit  I  commissioned  a  well  known  expert  to  purchase  for 
me  the  best  Palmerston  bitch  he  could,  to  cross  with  Elcho,  which  I  had 
recently  purchased  from  the  St.  Louis  Kennel  Club.  Six  months  later 
my  agent  wrote:  *At  last  I  have  got  the  thing  to  suit  you,  and  am  well 
repaid  for  waiting.  I  have  purchased  Cecil  Moore's  Rose,  an  own  sister 
to  O'Brien's  Kate  and  Kittie,  and  to  MacHaffie's  Mina  and  Bella.  She  is 
in  point  of  quality  next  to  O'Brien's  Kate,  and  has  the  loveliest  head  of  the 
lot,  without  Kate's  can  equal  it,  but  she  certainly  is  before  her  other  sisters. 
I  really  think  you  never  saw  such  a  head  on  a  bitch  as  that  of  Rose,  while 
for  colour  she  can't  be  excelled.' 

"There  is  no  place  more  appropriate  than  this  to  quote  from  a  brief 
history  of  this  strain,  information  for  which  I  obtained  from  Mr.  Moore 


1 82  The  Dog  Book 

and  published  in  a  pamphlet  in  the  early  eighties,  and  from  which  Mr.  Lee 
did  me  the  honour  to  quote  in  his  article  on  the  breed  in  *  Modern  Dogs/ 
As  the  pamphlet  is  out  of  print,  no  better  opportunity  than  the  present  can 
be  found  to  place  it  before  American  breeders  of  the  present  day  and  insure 
its  life  as  an  authentic  record. 

"'About  1796,  the  then  Earl  of  Enniskillen,  of  Florence  Court,  County 
of  Fermanagh,  had  a  remarkably  fine  breed  of  Irish  setters,  and  in  18 14, 
he  and  Mr.  Jason  Hazzard,  of  Timaskea,  same  county,  also  had  an  equally 
fine  strain,  which  they  crossed.  Mr.  Jackson  Lloyd,  of  Tamnamore, 
obtained  this  breed  from  Mr.  Hazzard,  and  in  18 19  Mr.  Robert  Evans 
of  Gostmerron,  Dingamore,  County  of  Tyrone,  obtained  the  breed  from 
Mr.  Lloyd,  and  crossed  it  with  the  then  noted  strain  of  Irish  red  setters 
possessed  by  Captain  McDonald,  husband  of  the  Countess  of  Antrim. 
Mr.  Evans  was  then  a  noted  sportsman  in  the  north  of  Ireland  and  his  Irish 
setters  were  famed  for  their  beauty  and  field  qualities.  In  1846  Mr.  Moore 
obtained  the  breed  from  Mr.  Evans  and  has  since  kept  it  pure.' 

"If  one  may  judge  from  the  sensation  Palmerston  created  when  first 
exhibited  and  couple  that  with  the  wonderful  success  of  his  get,  it  will  be 
very  evident  that  Mr.  Moore  had  not  permitted  the  strain  to  deteriorate, 
and  how  soundly  they  were  bred  is  established  by  the  long  life  of  Palmer- 
ston, who  was  full  nineteen  years  of  age  when  he  died. 

"Finding  the  Palmerston  strain  a  good  nick  for  Elcho,  I  next  imported 
Noreen,  a  daughter  of  Palmerston's  best  son  Garryowen,  and  the  records 
of  the  breed  in  this  country  show  what  Elcho,  Rose  and  Noreen  did.  It  is 
merely  the  simple  truth  to  say  that  their  blood  is  to  be  found  in  nearly  all, 
indeed,  I  might  say,  with  little  fear  of  contradiction,  all  the  best  Irish 
setters  in  the  country  since  their  day. 

"No  credit  is  due  me  for  the  Elcho  importation;  that  belongs  to  Mr. 
Charles  H.  Turner  of  St.  Louis,  a  fact  which  should  never  be  forgotten 
by  Irish  setter  breeders.  It  was  my  good  fortune  to  buy  the  dog  and  secure 
such  very  remarkable  bitches  as  Rose  and  Noreen  to  mate  to  him. 

"At  one  time  it  was  feared  that  there  was  too  much  Elcho  blood,  and 
the  cry  was  for  an  outcross,  for  which  purpose  several  importations  were 
made,  and  among  them  that  very  good  dog  Finglas,  a  dog  with  a  very 
excellent  field  trials  record.  But  that  this  was  an  outcross  could  only  be 
made  to  appear  by  giving  a  very  short  pedigree,  for  he  was  by  Fingal  III.  out 
of  Aveline,  and  both  were  by  Frisco,  grandson  of  Elcho,  and  out  of  Grouse 
II.,  daughter  of  Palmerston.    This  shows  how  hard  it  was  to  get  away  from 


The   Irish   Setter  183 

the  Elcho-Palmerston  when  a  good  dog  was  wanted.  This  Grouse  II.  was 
an  own  sister  to  Ganymede  and  Hebe,  all  bred  and  owned  by  the  late  Rev. 
Robert  O'Callaghan,  one  of  the  most  successful  breeders  of  Irish  setters 
of  his  day.  Hebe  was  accidentally  mated  with  Ganymede  and  the  result 
was  the  famous  Geraldine  and  Tyrone,  and  so  plain  was  the  good  results 
of  this  interbreeding  that  the  same  mating  was  continued,  and  among  their 
additional  offspring  was  Kildare,  one  of  the  best  show  dogs  of  his  day. 

"Grouse  II.  won  the  Challenge  Cup  at  Dublin  in  1879  and  was  selected 
for  illustration  in  'The  Book  of  the  Dog.'  Four  years  later  she  was  bred 
to  Frisco,  and  the  result  was  Aveline  and  Fingal  in  the  first  litter,  and  later 
on  came  Desmond,  Desmond  II. — imported  by  Mr.  Charles  T.  Thompson 
of  Philadelphia,  and  winner  of  many  prizes  on  the  bench  as  well  as  a  field 
trials  winner — Fingal  I.,  Fingal  II.,  Shandon,  Shandon  II.,  Ossory,  Or- 
monde, Ormonde  II.,  Drogheda  and  others.  Mr.  O'Callaghan  always 
considered  Shandon  II.,  and  Geraldine  II.,  a  granddaughter  of  Frisco 
and  Ganymede,  as  about  the  best  two  Irish  setters  he  had  bred.  Frisco 
was  said  to  have  black  in  his  coat,  but  his  owner  wrote  me  that  it  was  abso- 
lutely erroneous.  Ossory  was  the  sire  of  Champion  Ponto,  famous  as  a 
sire  of  show  and  field  trials  winners;  among  the  latter  being  Punches- 
town,  Regalia,  Clonsilla,  Creevagh  and  others. 

"Another  dog  about  which  equally  false  statements  were  made  by 
rivals  was  Muskerry,  which  was  kept  as  a  private  shooting  dog  by  the  late 
W.  H.  Cooper,  of  Henmore,  Derbyshire.  Until  he  became  prominent  as 
a  sire  nothing  was  known  of  him.  Entering  into  correspondence  with  Mr. 
Cooper  I  obtained  a  good  deal  of  useful  information  regarding  his  setters 
and  their  breeding.  Muskerry  was  bred  by  the  well  known  Mr.  F.  H.  Bass, 
of  County  Cork,  and  was  by  Ballingary,  a  great  shooting  dog  and  a  show- 
winner,  also  owned  by  Mr.  Bass,  whose  dog  Count  was  Ballingary's  sire. 
Ballingary's  dam  was  Mr.  Bass's  Flirt,  and  beyond  sire  and  dam 
we  simply  have  the  knowledge  that  the  ancestry  were  from  old  strains. 
Muskerry's  dam  was  Romp,  a  full  sister  to  Rapid  Meg,  whose  daughter 
Nancy  Lee  was  the  dam  of  the  field  trials  dogs  Blue  Rock,  Signal  and  Miss 
Signal.  Romp  was  by  Milo  out  of  Fan,  who  was  by  Colonel  Warren's 
Major,  and  he  by  Hutchinson  Massey's  Rock  (son  of  Hutchinson's  Bob) 
out  of  Captain  Woodley's  Flirt  of  the  La  Touche  strain.  Milo  was  by  a 
son  of  Palmerston  out  of  a  daughter  of  Dr.  Stone's  Dash,  a  dog  of  a  strain 
which  Dr.  Stone  had  bred  pure  for  twenty  years.     This  Dash  had  white 


184  The  Dog  Book 

on  head  and  toes,  and  'white  snake  mark  on  head  and  neck.'  He  won 
firsts  at  the  Palace,  Manchester,  Nottingham  and  Birmingham  in  1873 
and  was  only  defeated  at  Dublin.  The  Palmerston  dog  that  sired  Milo 
was  out  of  a  sister  to  Elcho,  all  of  which  shows  that  Muskerry  was  of  excel- 
lent breeding.  He  was  the  sire  of  Henmore  Sure  Death,  Woodbine,  Blue 
Rock,  Wrestler,  Signal,  Miss  Signal,  Tearaway,  Listowell  and  Shavanny, 
winners  of  forty-two  prizes  and  cups  at  field  trials;  also  sire  of  many  show 
winners,  including  that  good  dog  Henmore  Shamrock,  imported  by  Mr. 
Cheney  of  Pittsfield,  Mass.  Henmore  Shamrock  was  full  brother  to 
Henmore  Sure  Death  above  mentioned. 

"Of  the  later  importations  of  Irish  setters,  that  is  since  the  days  of 
Kathleen,  Noreen,  Rose,  Elcho,  Loo  H.,  Duck,  Bob,  Friend,  and  others 
of  that  period,  the  imported  ones,  as  I  recall  them,  were  Coleraine  and 
Finglas,  Blue  Rock,  and  Tearaway,  the  latter  two  imported  by  Mr.  Covert 
of  Chicago;  Desmond  H.,  and  Winnie  H.,  imported  by  Mr.  Thompson, 
and  Signal,  imported  for  my  kennel.  Picking  out  the  most  important 
of  these  I  should  select  Tearaway,  Coleraine,  Signal  and  Blue  Rock — a  dog 
I  bought  after  he  reached  this  country — on  account  of  the  field  trials  records 
they  made  before  coming  here,  but  all  were  of  the  highest  breeding,  amply 
fitted  on  that  score  to  impress  good  qualities  on  the  Irish  setters  in  this 
country.  Finglas  was  the  absolute  winner  of  the  All-Ages  Stakes  of  the 
American  Field  Trials  of  1892,  defeating  many  representative  English 
setters  and  pointers,  but  when  he  ran  in  the  Irish  Setter  Trials  and  in  the 
All-Ages  Stakes,  open  to  all  breeds,  in  North  Carolina,  at  which  I  was  one 
of  the  judges,  he  did  not  show  up  well,  much  to  my  disappointment.  He, 
however,  had  many  good  qualities  and  was  a  good  sire,  among  his  get  being 
Finglan,  winner  of  second  in  the  International  Field  Trials  Derby  of  1893. 

*'It  would  not  be  proper  to  close  without  mentioning  by  name  at  least 
some  of  the  many  who  in  years  past  have  done  yeoman  service  for  the 
breed.  Max  Wenzel  of  Hoboken  is  one  never  to  be  forgotten,  and  Dr. 
Davis  of  Philadelphia,  who  is  still  as  enthusiastic  as  ever.  Louis  Contoit 
of  Tuckahoe  is  also  entitled  to  a  'place,'  and  of  those  whose  memory  still 
survives  I  may  name  W.  L.  Washington  of  Pittsburg,  Marsh  Byers  of 
Michigan,  Dr.  Fowler  of  Moodus,  Mr.  Sauveur  of  Chestnut  Hill,  Phila- 
delphia, George  H.  Covert  of  Chicago,  F.  H.  Perry  of  Des  Moines  and  E. 
B.  Bishop. 

"In  these  notes  and  reminiscences  of  records,  show  performances  have 


DR.   GWILYM   G.   DAVIS'S   CURRER   RUTH 

This  is  used  as  a  sample  of  many  photographs  showing  how  n.-.t.rany  the  Iri.h  Setters  stand  in  good  positions 


ST.   LAMBERTS   MOLLIE 

A  Canadian-bred  Irisli  Setter  and  a  winner  on  both  sides  of  the  line 


The  Irish   Setter  185 

been  lightly  touched  upon,  notwithstanding  that  it  was  said  in  the  days  of 
Elcho  Jr.,  Glencho,  Bruce,  Tim,  Chief,  Lady  Clare,  and  other  flyers  of 
that  period,  that  we  could  beat  the  world,  for  to  me  'the  red  dog  is  first  of 
all  a  field  dog.'  " 

Dr.   Davis   Expresses    His  Views 

Dr.  Gwilym  G.  Davis  of  Philadelphia  has  for  many  years  stood  by 
the  red  dogs  for  work,  and  much  of  what  has  been  done  in  the  past  by  the 
Irish  Setter  Club  has  been  due  to  his  energy.  Unlike  most  enthusiasts  on 
the  subject  of  one  breed,  Dr.  Davis  can  see  faults  or  points  of  difference, 
as  the  following  very  candid  note  regarding  his  experience  testifies:  "As 
to  Irish  setter  field  qualities,  my  experience  is  that  they  are  the  equal  of  any 
breed  or  strain  of  setter.  I  have  never  bred  a  low-headed  one.  They  run 
high-headed,  have  good  noses  and  are  fast  and  usually  wide  rangers. 

"One  drawback  to  the  popular  success  of  the  Irish  setters  is  that 
they  are  late  in  developing,  and  usually  do  not  train  until  their  second 
season,  say  a  year  and  a  half  to  two  years  old,  and  do  not  show  their  true 
form  until  they  are  at  least  three  or  four  years  of  age,  and  continue  to 
improve  until  five,  six  and  even  seven  years  of  age.  Because  they  do  not 
train  early  most  people  and  the  regular  run  of  trainers  get  tired  of  the  expense 
and  time  necessary  for  development  and  say  they  are  *no  good.'  In  hard- 
headedness  and  timidity  they  average  about  as  other  dogs,  and  also  as  to 
staunchness,  but  I  doubt  if  they  show  as  a  breed  either  the  pointing  instinct 
or  the  staunchness  of  the  pointer,  though  far  ahead  as  a  field  dog. 

*'  In  voicing  this  opinion  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  find  plenty  of  com- 
batants, but  I  am  not  giving  other  people's  views  but  my  own,  and  my 
views  are  the  outcome  of  an  experience  of  eighteen  years  with  shooting 
dogs.  I  have  owned  and  shot  over  some  of  the  best  Llewellyns  and  owned 
some  pointers.  I  have  owned  wholly  or  in  part  two  Count  Noble  bitches, 
a  Roderigo  bitch,  and  setters  by  Buckellew,  San  Roy  and  other  good  dogs, 
and  I  now  have  my  fifth  generation  of  Irish  setters,  four  of  which  I  have 
bred  myself.  I  began  with  Currer  Bell  III.,  by  Sarsfield  out  of  Maud  II., 
by  Champion  Berkeley,  by  Elcho.  I  bred  her  to  Champion  Tim,  a  son 
of  two  champions — Biz  and  Hazel,  by  Elcho.  One  of  the  bitch  puppies 
I  named  Currer  Bell  IV.,  and  she  I  bred  to  that  good  dog  Finglas,  and  a 
beautifully  bred  one  as  all  setter  men  know.     Her  daughter  Loo  I  bred  to 


i86  The  Dog  Book 

Champion  Fred  Elcho,  son  of  Champion  Duke  Elcho,  by  Champion  Elcho 
Jr.  Fred  Elcho's  dam  was  Red  Rose,  by  Champion  Biz  out  of  that  beau- 
tiful bitch  Champion  Lady  Clare.  From  this  mating  I  got  Currer  Ruth^ 
now  five  and  a  half  years  old.  I  also  bred  Loo  to  Signal  and  have  Currer 
Del  of  that  litter,  and  her  I  bred  to  Fred  Elcho,  and  I  now  have  three  puppies 
in  the  South  a  year  and  a  half  old.  These  are  not  broken  yet  but  they 
will  be  this  fall,  and  from  what  I  saw  of  their  fun  and  frolic  when  South 
recently  I  feel  sure  that  they  will  turn  out  well. 

*'What  I  am  desirous  of  making  the  main  point  in  breeding  now  is 
earlier  development  in  work;  to  begin  earlier  and  have  their  education 
completed  sooner.  I  think  I  have  got  good  field  dogs  as  a  foundation,  for 
Loo  won  first  in  the  Irish  Setter  Trials  in  1895  and  the  Members'  Stakes 
at  both  the  Philadelphia  Kennel  Club  Trials  of  1895  and  the  Eastern  Field 
Trials  of  1896.  Currer  Bell  IIL  was  also  a  winner  of  first  at  the  Irish 
Club  Trials  of  1893.  I  ran  Currer  Ruth  at  the  Continental  Trials  of  1902, 
and  hoped  for  better  success  in  the  Members'  Stakes  than  I  had.  However, 
Field  and  Fancy  paid  her  the  compliment  of  saying:  'Dr.  Davis  is  to  be 
congratulated  on  having  in  Ruth  a  really  good  Irish  setter.'  One  difficulty 
Irish  setter  men  have  to  encounter  is  that  there  is  not  the  choice  of  stud 
dogs  English  setter  and  pointer  men  are  favoured  with,  and  we  have  to 
feel  our  way  along." 

Good    Dogs    for  a   Poor  Game    District 

Both  Dr.  Jarvis  and  Dr.  Davis  do  the  most  of  their  shooting  in  the 
South,  where  game  is  plentiful,  but  in  the  immediate  neighbourhood  of  New 
York  it  is  a  different  thing,  and  it  takes  a  good  dog  to  find  anything,  where 
there  is  so  little  to  find.  A  near  neighbour,  Mr.  B.  L.  Clements,  of  Hacken- 
sack,  has  been  an  Irish  setter  man  for  many  years  now  and  has  bred  them 
for  several  generations.  English  setters  of  great  reputation  have  been 
brought  from  New  York  and  elsewhere  to  try  out  these  reds,  but  victory 
has  always  been  with  the  home  talent.  One  of  his  dogs,  Iceberg,  was  sent 
South  a  few  seasons  ago  and  four  hundred  and  five  quail  were  shot  to  his 
points  in  ten  days.  On  snipe  he  is  really  a  wonderful  dog,  and  to  these 
Irish  setters  fall  quite  a  respectable  bag  of  woodcock  and  quail  in  the  sea- 
son. Somewhat  doubting  the  probability  of  seeing  any  woodcock  so  close 
to  home,  we  at  first  laughed  at  the  idea  suggested  by  Mr.  Clements  one  day 


The   Irish    Setter  187 

in  July  last  (1904)  of  carrying  the  camera  to  get  a  snapshot.  Nevertheless 
we  did  so  and  within  fifteen  minutes'  walk  of  Hackensack  the  brace  of  Irish 
setters  pointed  a  half-fledged  trio  of  woodcock  in  a  swampy  hollow.  These  we 
carried  out  to  the  sunlight  and  having  taken  snapshots  of  them,  returned  them 
to  their  nesting  ground.  These  dogs  seem  to  have  no  lack  of  point,  but  per- 
haps it  is  the  way  they  are  educated.  Mr.  Clements  dwells  on  this  part  of 
the  dog's  work,  and  to  make  up  for  the  scarcity  of  game  in  his  neighbour- 
hood his  dogs  are  made  to  point  the  dead  bird.  "Where  there  is  so  little 
pointing  you  have  to  give  them  all  you  can,"  is  the  way  he  puts  it.  "So 
far  as  my  experience  goes,"  Mr.  Clements  says,  "and  I  have  owned  a  good 
many  English  setters  and  also  a  few  pointers,  besides  the  Irish  setters,  I 
find  the  Irish  no  harder  to  handle.  Mine  are  from  parents  that  have  been 
worked  for  several  generations,  all  good  field  dogs  and  given  plenty  of  work, 
and  I  think  that  in  such  a  case  you  can  look  for  quick  development.  Some 
of  the  English  setters  I  have  owned  were  from  field-trials-winning  parents, 
but  I  have  only  had  one  that  I  liked  as  well  as  my  Irish.  That  was  my 
old  dog  Indicator,  by  Buckellew  out  of  Lady  May.  I  aim  to  get  a  dog 
that  looks  well  when  at  work,  high-headed,  a  good  ranger  and  fast,  though 
taught  to  hunt  close  and  slow  when  wanted. 

"One  of  my  early  Irish  dogs  was  Scamp,  who  was  a  son  of  Glencho, 
and  was  whelped  as  far  back  as  December,  1883.  I  shot  over  him  next 
fall,  so  he  did  not  take  long  to  develop.  He  was  about  as  easy  a  dog  to  train 
as  I  ever  handled.  It  took  only  five  days  to  make  him  a  perfect  retriever 
of  live  or  dead  birds  from  land  or  water.  He  seemed  to  be  equally  good 
on  woodcock,  snipe,  grouse  or  quail,  and  I  refused  ;^250  for  him.  I  had 
another  good  dog  in  Lance.  I  thought  him  good  looking  enough  to  enter 
at  New  York  show  and  he  did  fairly  well.  There  was  no  end  of  point  in 
him  and  he  retrieved  exceedingly  well.  I  will  give  you  some  of  my  diary 
entries  about  Lance:  July  i,  1885,  at  Lodi,  N.  J.,  on  woodcock,  began 
with  a  flush  and  then  scored  nine  points  without  a  mistake.  Some  time 
later  I  took  him  to  Catasauqua,  for  quail,  and  out  of  forty  points  one  was 
false  and  twice  he  flushed.  Here  is  another  day  on  woodcock,  some  years 
later:  July  i,  1889,  between  Woodridge  and  Hackensack,  made  twenty- 
two  points  on  woodcock.  One  of  the  cock  he  flushed  twice.  He  was 
hunted  nineteen  days  out  of  twenty-one  at  White  Creek,  Washington 
County,  N.  Y.,  and  was  fresh  and  strong  every  day  of  the  entire  time.  He 
would  do  a  peculiar  thing  if  he  was  on  a  point  and  could  not  see  me  or  I 


i88  The  Dog  Book 

see  him.     He  would  back  out,  find  and  take  me  to  the  place  and  resume 

his  point. 

"Lass  was  another  good  one  of  more  recent  years.     I  had  her  for  a 
month   in  North  Carolina  in  the  winter  of  1895-96,  and  there  were  few 
days  on  which  she  was  not  in  the  field.     One  day  she  nearly  drowned  her- 
self trying  to  point  a  quail  when  she  was  swimming  a  creek;  finally  she 
touched  bottom,  and  there  she  stood  with  only  her  head  above  water.    On 
another  occasion  we  had  driven  to  the  shooting  ground,  and  as  soon  as  she 
was  lifted  from  the  wagon  she  stood  at  point  to  some  birds  fifty  yards 
on  the  other  side  of  the  wagon.     At  Shokan,  N.  Y.,  I  shot  fifteen  quail 
and  seven  ruffed  grouse  over  her,  and  bad  weather  it  was  for  pointing  any- 
thing, but  she  missed  nothing.     With  her  I  once  struck  a  little  bunch  of 
woodcock,  beginning  at  Woodridge  and  working  up  toward  home.     It  was 
most  difficult  to  get  anything  like  a  shot  at  them,  for  they  kept  in  the  scrub. 
I  do  not  know  how  many  cock  there  were,  but  she  made  twenty-one  points 
and  two  flushes.     In  July,  three  years  ago,  I  had  three  days'  woodcock 
shooting  over  her  about  Lodi  and  killed  twenty-one  birds.     These  may 
seem  very  small  bags  to  men  who  go  to  specially  selected  shooting  grounds, 
but  I  have  had  some  dogs  with  great  reputations,  world-beaters,  come  out 
to  run  against  my  reds  on  this  hard  locality    for  game,  and  whether  it  is 
their  experience  on  the  ground  or  not  I  do  not  know,  but  mine  have  always 
had  the  majority  of  the  points.     Dogs  have  got  to  be  game  and  persevering 
for  this  poverty-stricken  game  country.     I    was  out  yesterday  till  noon, 
started  early  too,  and  got  one  snipe.     I  only  had  one  dog  with  me,  however, 
and  the  snipe  were  not  on,  for  that  is  the  only  one   I   saw.     Many  dogs 
would  quit  with  no  better  success  than  that." 

Elcho's  Great  Record 

For  a  man  who  had  four  champion  dogs  of  his  own  breeding  competing 
in  one  class  and  had  eight  field  trials  winners,  Dr.  Jarvis  was  far  too  reticent 
regarding  his  dogs.  We  therefore  feel  the  necessity  of  telling  the  story  of  the 
great  Elcho.  Thirteen  years  ago  we  wrote  in  the  American  Kennel  Register 
as  follows:  "If  ever  a  dog  deserved  the  title  of  champion  that  one  is  Dr. 
Wm.  Jarvis's  Irish  setter  Elcho.  His  long  list  of  personal  prize-winnings 
and  his  success  as  a  sire  of  bench,  show  and  field-trials-winners  stamp  him 
as  far  and  away  the  best  animal — we  do  not  confine  it  to  dogs — that  ever 


The   Irish   Setter  189 

lived.  To  such  an  extent  does  the  progeny  of  Elcho  in  the  first  and  second 
generation  usurp  the  honours  of  the  bench  that  we  found  it  advisable  in 
preparing  a  list  of  his  winning  produce,  to  confine  ourselves  to  prize-winners 
only  and  leave  out  the  names  of  the  legion  of  commended  entries.  The 
stoutness  of  the  blood  of  Elcho  is  further  evidenced  by  the  freedom  which 
can  be  exercised  in  in-breeding  between  the  closest  possible  relations,  and 
though  he  is  nine  years  of  age,  his  last  crop  of  youngsters  seem,  if  anything, 
to  be  superior  to  their  forerunners.  To  Elcho  we  owe  the  opinion,  so  freely 
expressed  by  foreign  visitors  to  our  bench  shows,  that  in  Irish  setters  we 
can  beat  the  world.  Mr.  Graham  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  informed  us  that  he 
considered  Lady  Clare  the  best  Irish  setter  he  had  ever  seen,  and  that  Glen- 
cho  and  Chief  could  hold  their  own  with  the  best  dogs  in  England.  The 
great  feature  of  the  Elchos  is  quality,  the  perfection  of  fashion  and  sym- 
metry,  without   the   slightest   coarseness." 

The  early  history  of  Elcho  in  Ireland  is  well  told  in  the  following 
letter  from  his  breeder  to  Mr.  Cooper,  who  was  commissioned  by  Mr. 
Turner  of  St.  Louis  to  purchase,  without  regard  to  price,  the  best  Irish 
setter  he  could  find.  Elcho  had  taken  second  at  Dublin  when  Mr.  Cooper 
decided  that  he  was  the  dog  for  Mr.  Turner 

"November  6,  1875. 
"Dear  Sir: — I  give  you  particulars  of  my  red  Irish  setter  Elcho.  He 
is  by  Charlie  out  of  Nell,  both  of  which  were  purchased  specially  for  their 
good  pedigree  and  sent  to  Russia  for  breeding  purposes.  They  are  now 
the  property  of  Mr.  Oppenheimer  of  St.  Petersburg.  .  .  .  The  dog 
and  bitch  both  ca'me  directly  from  the  strain  of  both  the  Marquis  of  Water- 
ford  and  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde's  breed,  and  were  originally  owned  by 
Captain  Irwin.  You  can  get  no  better  blood  in  Ireland.  I  trained  Elcho 
myself  and  he  is  the  best  first-season  dog  I  ever  had.  He  will  drop  to  raising 
the  hand,  and  at  the  word  'to-ho'  will  be  steady,  and  to  shot.  ...  In 
case  you  should  send  him  to  America  it  will  probably  interest  whoever  gets 
him  over  there  to  learn  that  he  is  called  after  the  Elcho  challenge  shield 
which  came  to  Ireland  by  the  last  shot  which  was  fired  by  me  at  Wimbledon 
this  year.     .     .     .  Robert  S.  Greenhill." 

When  the  St.  Louis  Kennel  Club  was  formed  Mr.  Turner  joined  it 
and  the  club  took  over  his  dogs.  But  this  arrangement  did  not  last  long, 
and  in  1877  Dr.  Jarvis  had  the  good  fortune  to  secure  Elcho.  How  Rose  and 
Noreen  were  purchased  has  already  been  told  by  Dr.  Jarvis.  In  America 
Elcho  won  one  first  in  the  open  imported  class  at  Chicago  in  1876,  and  six 


190  The  Dog  Book 

champion  prizes  after  that  up  to  the  end  of  1883,  besides  five  prizes  for  the 
best  stud  dog,  and  innumerable  special  prizes  of  one  kind  and  another. 

Up  to  the  close  of  1883  forty-three  of  his  sons  and  daughters  were 
first  or  second  prize  winners,  while  there  were  nineteen  in  the  second  gener- 
ation with  the  same  record.  These  numbers  were  added  to  liberally  during 
the  next  few  years,  the  leading  addition  after  that  being  Elcho  Jr.,  considered 
by  most  unbiased  fanciers  to  have  been  the  best  of  the  many  good  sons  of  the 
old  dog.  His  little  brother  Glencho,  owned  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Pierce  of 
Peekskill,  was  another  very  good  dog,  rather  too  large  to  suit  some  people, 
but  having  a  lot  of  quality  considering  his  size. 

One  of  the  first  of  the  Elchos  was  Berkley,  bred  at  St.  Louis,  but  the 
record  of  his  wins  makes  him  out  a  better  dog  than  he  really  was,  for  he  was 
not  true  Irish,  being  on  the  English  setter  model  and  with  a  blackish  tinge 
to  the  coat  and  a  black  nose.  But  he  got  an  uncommonly  good  son  in 
Chief,  a  better  Irish  setter  than  he  was  himself.  Berkley,  however,  was 
the  correct  thing  for  first  in  those  days  and  he  improperly  beat  Chief  for  the 
Special  at  New  York  in  1881.  Chief  was  probably  the  best  coloured  dog 
we  have  ever  had,  and  his  coat  handled  to  perfection.  With  age  he  went 
a  little  thick  in  head  and  in  shoulders,  but  take  him  all  in  all  he  was  a  hand- 
some dog  of  much  quality.  Bruce,  by  Elcho  out  of  Noreen,  was  another 
lovely  dog,  and  with  a  little  more  size  and  ranginess  he  would  have  taken 
very  high  rank.  His  back  also  showed  the  least  inclination  to  dip,  and 
that  seeemed  to  flatten  his  loin.  But  he  had  such  a  beautiful  head  and  such 
a  rich  colour  and  quality  of  coat.  It  was  a  little  darker  than  Chief's,  but 
quite  devoid  of  the  objectionable  tinge  in  Berkley's. 

Mr.  Wenzel  also  had  Tim  at  this  time.  A  son  of  Biz,  who  was  a  grand- 
bodied  dog  and  had  a  very  successful  career  notwithstanding  his  quite 
coarse  head.  Tim  was  his  best  son  and  owed  some  of  his  good  looks  to  his 
dam  Hazel,  by  Elcho.  What  distinguished  him  was  his  gay  upstanding 
carriage  and  the  look  of  speed  and  vim  in  his  every  movement.  His  colour 
was  not  of  the  best  and  he  could  have  been  improved  in  foreface — needed 
a  little  more  length  and  fining  below  the  eyes,  but  he  was  an  excellent, 
good  dog  and  just  about  the  last  of  the  good  ones  that  made  this  period  in 
Irish  setter  history  so  famous. 

Like  the  English  setter  men,  the  breeders  of  the  reds  lost  their  grip 
somehow,  not  as  their  cousins  did  by  chasing  field  trials  Will-o'-the-wisps, 
but  probably  through  lack  of  judgment,  and  poorer  and  poorer  became  the 


The   Irish    Setter  191 

show  on  the  Irish  benches,  which  had  formerly  been  one  of  the  "garden 
spots"  at  Madison  Square.  Dr.  Jarvis  continued  to  show  Elcho  Jr.  until 
1890,  when  he  sold  him  to  Mr.  George  H.  Covert  of  Chicago  and  retired 
as  an  exhibitor — the  last  of  the  old  brigade. 

In  place  of  the  Wenzel  dogs  we  now  had  the  Seminole  Kennels  of 
Chestnut  Hill,  with  Tim  as  the  star.  Mr.  C.  T.  Thompson  sold  his  last 
good  ones  to  Fred  Kirby,  and  the  St.  Cloud,  Kildare  and  Washington 
Kennels  were  the  newcomers  in  the  ring  competitions.  The  leading  setters 
of  this  period  were  Blarney,  owned  by  Mr.  E.  N.  Clark  Jr.  of  Philadelphia; 
Dick  Swiveller,  a  big  winner  for  Mr.  Covert;  Kildare,  Laura  B., 
Ruby  Glenmore  and  Winnie  II,,  shown  later  on  in  the  name  of  the 
Kildare  Kennels,  Kildare  being  the  premier  dog.  He  was  by  Elcho  Jr.  out 
of  Red  Rose,  a  daughter  of  Biz  and  Lady  Clare.  The  next  important  step 
was  the  bringing  together  of  a  number  of  high-class  dogs  in  the  kennels  of 
Mr.  F.  C.  Fowler  of  Moodus,  Conn.  He  secured  Kildare,  Duke  Elcho,  Edna, 
Seminole  and  others,  and  in  his  own  name  and  afterward  in  that  of  Oak 
Grove  Kennels  took  a  leading  part  at  the  best  shows.  But  these  exhibitors 
did  not  last  long,  as  is  far  too  often  the  case  with  men  attracted  by  the  pleasure 
of  owning  winners  only  and  not  imbued  with  the  true  spirit  of  the  fancier, 
the  man  who  keeps  on  the  even  tenor  of  his  effort  to  improve  his  kennel. 
Such  a  man,  for  instance,  is  Mr.  J.  J.  Scanlan,  or  Mr.  Nelson  Mcintosh, 
each  of  whom  was  playing  a  by  no  means  inconspicuous  part  at  that  time 
and  has  lasted  up  to  the  present. 

The  dogs  named  held  their  own  well  until  the  close  of  1900,  but  the 
year  before  that  some  good  new  ones  came  out,  such  as  Fred  Elcho,  Lord 
Lismore,  Redbud  Finglas  and  Red  Rose  III.,  the  three  first  named  doing 
a  lot  of  winning  for  their  owners,  Messrs.  J.  S.  Laycock,  J.  S.  Wall  and  J,  A. 
Meyer,  names  no  longer  prominent.  In  this  year  Ben  Law  made  his  appear- 
ance and  began  a  well-merited  career  of  success.  It  cannot  be  admitted,  how- 
ever, that  the  general  run  of  Irish  setters  was  in  any  way  equal  to  what  was 
seen  during  the  Elcho  period,  there  being  a  lack  of  that  quality  then  so  con- 
spicuous. A  few  still  looked  like  the  old  sort,  but  their  very  presence  only 
accentuated  the  lack  of  Irish  setter  character  in  the  classes.  As  a  natural 
result  less  interest  seemed  to  be  taken  in  the  breed,  and  things  were  not 
going  the  right  way  at  all. 

The  first  approach  to  a  return  to  the  good  old  days  was  noticeable 
when  a  choice  lot  of  Signal  bitches  made  their  appearance.     They  perhaps 


192  The  Dog  Book 

did  not  do  so  well  as  might  have  been  the  case,  but  what  they  did  show  was 
something  like  a  return  to  the  type  of  setter  from  which  fanciers  had  strayed. 
They  were  true  Irish.  In  the  revival  which  dated  from  that  period  the  good 
work  of  the  Canadians  must  not  be  overlooked.  Mr.  Coulson  of  Montreal 
had  been  interested  in  the  breed  for  quite  a  number  of  years  with  fair 
success,  and  he  now  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  Dave  Ward  of  Toronto, 
and  the  St.  Lamberts  then  became  noticeable  in  a  few  of  the  shows  on 
this  side  of  the  line,  as  well  as  taking  a  very  prominent  part  in  Canadian 
shows.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Ward  these  were  dispersed,  and  Mr.  Walters 
of  New  Brunswick  got  hold  of  some  of  the  best  and  brought  the  St.  Lam- 
berts down  to  the  New  York  shows  up  to  the  time  of  a  business  call  to  Eng- 
land which  necessitated  the  sale  of  the  entire  kennel.  The  majority  of  his 
dogs  were  purchased  by  Mr.  Louis  Contoit,  who  had  lately  brought  out 
St.  Cloud  III.,  a  dog  that  has  been  very  successful  and  is  still  doing  the 
lion's  share  of  winning  wherever  he  appears.  Mr.  James  Douglas  of 
Toronto  is  another  Canadian  who  has  bred  and  owned  many  good  ones. 

Of  late  years  the  rank  and  file  have  shown  improvement,  but  it  would 
be  too  much  to  say  that  the  leading  winners  are  of  the  high  quality  we  can 
remember  twenty  or  more  years  ago.  There  has  been  a  change  for  the  bet- 
ter, and  with  the  experience  of  the  past  and  the  much  more  marked  attitude 
of  breeders  in  seeking  to  mate  with  the  best  procurable  dog  and  not  merely 
to  something  with  a  good  pedigree,  there  is  a  very  good  prospect  of  gaining 
ground  and  again  drawing  attention  to  the  breed  by  reason  of  marked 
excellence  and  uniformity  of  type  at  the  best  shows  of  the  year. 

The  following  is  the  standard  and  scale  of  points  as  adopted  by  the 
Irish  Setter  Club  of  America : 

Descriptive  Particulars 

''Head. — Should  be  long  and  lean.  The  skull  oval  (from  ear  to  ear) 
having  plenty  of  brain  room  and  with  well-defined  occipital  protuberance. 
Brows  raised,  showing  stop.  The  muzzle  moderately  deep  and  fairly 
square  at  end.  From  the  stop  to  the  point  of  the  nose  should  be  long,  the 
nostrils  wide  and  the  jaws  of  nearly  equal  length,  flews  not  to  be  pendulous. 
The  colour  of  the  nose  dark  mahogany  or  dark  chocolate  and  that  of  the 
eyes  (which  ought  not  to  be  too  large)  rich  hazel  or  brown.  The  ears  to  be 
of  moderate  size,  fine  in  texture,  set  on  low,  well  back  and  hanging  in  a  neat 
fold  close  to  the  head. 


CHAMPION   BORSTAL   ROCK 
Mr.  Nelson  Mcintosh's  well-known  Irish  Setter  which  gained  his  title  this  year 


CHAMPION   ST.   CLOUD   III 

The  most  prominent  bench-show  winner  of  1904-1905.    Owned  by  Mr    L.  Cuntoit,  of  Mt.  Kisco,  N.  V. 


The   Irish   Setter  193 

''Neck. — Should  be  moderately  long,  very  muscular,  but  not  too  thick, 
slightly  arched,  free  from  all  tendency  to  throatiness. 

"Body. — Should  be  proportionately  long,  shoulders  fine  at  the  points, 
deep  and  sloping  well  back.  The  chest  deep,  rather  narrow  in  front.  The 
ribs  well  sprung,  leaving  plenty  of  lung  room.  The  loins  muscular  and 
slightly  arched.     The  hind  quarter  wide  and  powerful. 

"Legs  and  Feet. — The  hind  legs  from  hip  to  hock  should  be  long  and 
muscular,  from  hock  to  heel  [The  heel  is  the  hock,  and  this  should  be  hock 
to  foot,  or  'short  below  the  hock.' — Ed.]  short  and  strong.  The  stifle  and 
hock  joints  well  bent,  and  not  inclined  either  in  or  out.  The  forelegs  should 
be  strong  and  sinewy,  having  plenty  of  bone,  with  elbows  free,  well  let 
down  and,  like  the  hock,  not  inclined  either  out  or  in.  The  feet  rather  small, 
very  firm,  toes  strong,  close  together  and  arched. 

"Tail. — Should  be  of  moderate  length,  set  on  rather  low,  strong  at 
root  and  tapering  to  a  fine  point;  to  be  carried  in  a  slight  scimitar-like  curve 
or  straight,  nearly  level  with  the  back. 

"Coat. — On  the  head,  front  of  legs  and  tips  of  ears  should  be  short  and 
fine,  but  on  all  other  parts  of  the  body  it  should  be  of  moderate  length,  flat, 
and  as  free  as  possible  from  curl  or  wave. 

"  Featherifig. — The  feather  on  the  upper  portion  of  the  ears  should  be 
long  and  silky,  on  the  back  of  fore  and  hind  legs  long  and  fine,  a  fair  amount 
of  hair  on  belly,  forming  a  nice  fringe,  which  may  extend  on  chest  and  throat. 
Feet  to  be  well  feathered  between  the  toes.  Tail  to  have  a  nice  fringe  of 
moderately  long  hair,  decreasing  in  length  as  it  approaches  the  point.  All 
feathering  to  be  as  straight  and  as  flat  as  possible. 

"Colour  and  Markings. — The  colour  should  be  a  rich  golden  chestnut 
or  mahogany  red,  with  no  trace  whatever  of  black;  white  on  chest,  throat 
or  toes,  or  a  small  star  on  the  forehead,  or  a  narrow  streak,  or  blaze  on  the 
nose  or  face  not  to  disqualify." 

Scale  of  Points 

Head lo        Hind  legs lo 

Eyes 5        Tail 8 

Ears 5        Coat  and  feather 8 

Neck 5        Colour 8 

Body 15  Size,  style  and  general  ap- 

Shoulders,  fore  legs  and  feet.  12            pearance 14 

Total 100 


SHANDON   BEN 
A  good  winner  of  late  yeais,  owned  bj-  Mr.  J.  J   Scanlan,  of  Fall  River,  Ma 


^;  # 


CHAMPION    TIM 
This  photcgraph  was  taten  when  this  prominent  dog  was  the  property  of  Mr.  .Max  Wenzel,  late  cf  Hotoken 


CHAPTER  X 

The    Gordon    Setter 

TN  using  the  name  of  Gordon  setter  for  the  black  and  tan 
variety  we  do  so  because  it  has  become  universal,  though 
it  is  undoubtedly  a  misnomer,  if  it  is  meant  to  specify 
that  the  breed  so  named  originated  with  the  Duke  of 
Gordon,  or  was  alone  and  specially  fostered  by  him. 
That  this  nobleman,  who  died  shortly  prior  to  the  oft-mentioned  sale  of 
dogs  in  1836,  by  any  means  confined  himself  to  a  special  colour  is  an 
entirely  wrong  idea.  Every  particle  of  evidence  goes  to  prove  that  he  had 
setters  of  various  colours,  and  although  these  included  black  and  tans, 
they  were  in  a  minority,  and  it  seems  very  certain  that  he  preferred  tricolour 
dogs,  as  better  fitted  for  the  moors,  even  using  black  and  white  dogs,  while 
one  red  and  white  was  catalogued  at  the  sale. 

The  particulars  of  the  sale  referred  to  have  never  been  quoted  properly 
in  any  dog  book,  hence  it  will  be  well  to  give  a  copy  of  the  catalogue  ver- 
batim, adding  the  purchasers'  names  and  the  prices  paid: 


1.  Duke,  5  years  old,  a  black  and  tan  dog,  by  His  Grace's  famous 
Old    Regent — Ellen.     Lord    Abercorn.     34    guineas. 

2.  Young  Regent,  4  years  old,  a  black,  white  and  tan,  by  Old  Regent 
— Ellen.     Lord  Chesterfield.     72  guineas. 

3.  Juno,  5  years  old,  a  black  and  white  bitch,  by  Old  Regent — Juno. 
Duke  of  Richmond.     34  guineas. 

4.  Satan,  2^  years,  a  black  dog,  by  Blunder — Juno.  Lord  Douglas. 
56  guineas. 

5.  Crop,  3  years  old,  a  black  and  white  bitch,  by  Lord  Saltoun's 
Ranger — Bell.     Lord   Chesterfield.     60  guineas. 

6.  Duchess,  II  months  old,  a  black  and  white  bitch,  by  Dash — Crop, 
pupped  August  20,  1835;  was  hunted  this  spring  but  not  shot  to.  Mr. 
Martyn.     37    guineas. 

7.  Random,  10  months  old,  a  red  and  white  dog,  by  Ranger — Romp, 
pupped  September  10,  1835;  was  hunted  this  spring  but  not  shot  to.  Mr. 
Martyn.     35  guineas. 

195 


196  The  Dog  Book 

8.  Princess,  11  months  old,  a  black  and  white  bitch,  by  Dash — Crop, 
pupped  August  20,  1835,  not  broken.     Mr.  Walker.     25  guineas. 

9.  Bell,  1 1  months  old,  a  black  and  white  bitch,  by  Dash — Crop,  pupped 
August  20,   1835,  not  broken.     Mr.  Martyn.     34  guineas. 

10.  A  puppy,  4  months  old,  black  and  white,  by  Regent — Crop,  pupped 
March  5,  1836.     Lord  Douglas.     15  guineas. 

1 1.  A  puppy,  4  months  old,  black  and  white,  by  Regent— Crop,  pupped 
March  5,   1836.     Mr.   Robinson.     15  guineas. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  the  gentleman  who  made  the  foregoing  public  in 
a  letter  to  the  Field,  January,  1870,  and  he  mentions  that  Princess  had  a 
little  tan  about  the  face.  He  bid  on  her,  so  that  he  is  a  competent  witness. 
It  will  be  seen  that  of  the  eleven  lots,  there  was  but  one  black  and  tan, 
and  not  alone  that,  but  the  Duke  was  breeding  from  tricolours  and  also 
from  black  and  white,  so  that  even  admitting  that  among  those  given  away 
prior  to  the  sale,  there  was  a  preponderance  of  black  and  tans,  yet  no  one 
who  was  a  stickler  for  colour,  or  was  forming  a  strain,  would  have  bred  so 
indiscriminately  when  there  were  plenty  of  the  desired  colour  to  be  had 
from  other  breeders  at  that  time.  "  Idstone  "  (the  Rev.  Mr.  Pearce)  states 
that  a  brace  of  black  and  tans  with  frills  went  to  the  Duke  of  Abercorn,  and 
nine  went  to  the  Duke  of  Argyll  and  Viscount  Bolingbroke.  "  Idstone  " 
adds  that  eleven  setters  would  have  been  a  poor  team  for  Gordon  Castle, 
and  that  possibly  the  Duchess,  who  had  little  fancy  for  sports,  got  rid  of 
them.  Still  this  hardly  bears  out  what  Laverack  says  in  this  paragraph: 
"Two  years  after  the  decease  of  Alexander,  Duke  of  Gordon,  I  went  to 
Gordon  Castle,  purposely  to  see  the  breed  of  setters.  In  an  interview  with 
Jubb,  the  keeper,  he  showed  me  three  black  tans,  the  only  ones  left,  and 
which  I  thought  nothing  of.  Some  years  after,  I  rented  on  lease  the  Cabrach 
shootings,  Banffshire,  belonging  to  the  Duke  of  Richmond,  adjoining 
Glenfiddich,  where  His  Grace  shot.  I  often  saw  Jubb  and  his  setters. 
Then  and  now,  all  the  Gordon  Castle  setters  were  black,  white  and  tan." 
Mr.  Laverack  emphasises  the  last  statement  by  putting  it  in  italics. 

Duke,  the  black  and  tan  dog  sold  as  "  Lot  i ,"  was  not  bred  by  the  Duke, 
but  by  Captain  Barclay,  from  whom  the  Duke  bought  him,  and  this  prob- 
ably accounts  for  the  manner  in  which  his  pedigree  is  given,  to  show  that, 
although  bred  out  of  the  kennels,  he  was  yet  by  one  of  the  Duke's  dogs. 
This  Captain  Barclay  was  a  celebrated  sportsman  and  athlete,  and  was  the 
first  man  to  walk  one  thousand  miles  in  one  thousand  hours,  one  mile  each 


»ls' 


The  Gordon  Setter  197 

hour.  It  was  quite  customary  in  those  days  for  gentlemen  to  engage  in 
sporting  matches  of  various  kinds  for  high  wagers.  The  pedestrian  Gale, 
now  in  Cincinnati,  we  beheve,  quite  ecHpsed  this  feat  about  twenty  years 
ago  by  walking  a  quarter  mile  in  each  quarter  hour,  starting  at  the  beginning 
of  each  quarter,  and  keeping  it  up  for  a  thousand  hours. 

The  Castle  Gordon  Setters 

The  late  Mr.  Dixon,  who  wrote  under  the  pseudonym  of  "The  Druid,'* 
visited  the  Castle  after  the  Duke  died  and  corroborates  Laverack  as  to 
setters  still  being  there,  and  that  they  were  tricolours.  "Now  all  the  setters 
in  the  Castle  kennels  are  entirely  black,  white  and  tan,  with  a  little  tan  on 
the  toes,  muzzle,  root  of  tail,  and  round  the  eyes.  The  late  Duke  liked  it. 
It  was  both  gayer  and  not  so  difficult  to  back  on  the  hillside  as  the  dark 
coloured.  .  .  .  The  composite  colour  was  produced  by  using  black 
and  tan  dogs  on  black  and  white  bitches.  .  .  .  Lord  Lovat's,  and 
Sir  A.  G.  Gordon's  dogs  have  been  the  only  crosses  used  for  some 
time  past  at  Gordon  Castle.  ...  A  dozen  pups  by  a  dog  of  Lord 
Lovat's,  also  of  the  Gordon  Castle  breed,  were  out  at  quarters,  drawing 
nurture  from  terriers  and  collies."  These  extracts  from  what  "The  Druid" 
wrote  confirm  what  Mr.  Laverack  said  as  to  breeding  going  on  after  the 
death  of  the  Duke,  and  the  sale  in  1836  was  therefore  not  a  complete  dis- 
persal of  the  kennels. 

A  man  who  might  have  told  for  the  benefit  of  posterity  all  about  the 
Gordon  setters  at  the  Castle  in  the  closing  years  of  the  eighteenth  century 
was  Colonel  Thornton,  the  Yorkshire  sportsman  who  played  a  prominent 
part  in  the  improvement  of  the  fox-hound,  pointer  and  fox-terrier,  but  his 
books  are  absolutely  worthless  in  connection  with  dogs.  We  read  his 
"Sporting  Tour  in  England  and  Scotland"  with  every  expectation  of  find- 
ing a  fund  of  valuable  information  from  a  man  of  his  knowledge  and  ability 
to  note  dogs  and  their  characteristics.  But  not  a  single  reference  to  setters 
is  made  that  we  could  find.  His  own  pointers  are  mentioned  only  occa- 
sionally, and  when  at  Gordon  Castle  he  tells  of  seeing  a  "Highland  grey- 
hound." He  went  to  church  with  the  Duchess,  tells  about  the  good  singing, 
the  dress  of  the  men  and  the  women,  and  gives  all  sorts  of  information  about 
every  conceivable  thing,  but  never  a  word  about  dogs.  Yet  he  mentions 
that  the  Duke,  who  was  absent  at  his  sporting  seat,  was  a  keen  sportsman. 


198  The  Dog  Book 

Later  on  he  tells  of  sending  back  one  of  his  pointers  which  he  had  promised 
as  a  present.  It  does  not  seem  possible  that  he  never  saw  any  setters  at 
Gordon  Castle  or  at  any  of  the  other  noblemen's  or  landed  proprietors' 
establishments  he  visited,  but  he  is  mute  as  to  dogs,  except  for  the  most 
casual  remark  here  and  there. 

Stonehenge  seemed  to  be  of  the  opinion  that  the  ancestors  of  the 
Gordon  strain  came  from  Ireland,  but  there  was  no  need  to  introduce  the 
reds  to  get  the  tan,  for  black  and  tan  is  one  of  the  old  setting  spaniel  colours, 
Caius  before  1576  wrote  regarding  spaniels  that  "Othersome  of  them  be 
reddishe  and  blackishe,  but  of  that  sort  there  be  very  few."  Markham 
in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  said  that  "  the  black  and  fallow 
are  esteemed  the  hardest  to  endure."  The  Rev.  Mr.  Simons  in  1776  wrote 
as  follows:  "Whatever  mixtures  may  have  been  since  made,  there  were, 
fifty  years  ago,  two  distinct  tribes — the  black-tanned  and  the  orange  or 
lemon  and  white." 

These  extracts  from  early  writers  dispose  of  any  idea  that  this  com- 
bination of  colour  originated  at  Gordon  Castle,  besides  which,  from  a 
number  of  letters  which  appeared  in  the  Field  about  forty  years  ago,  it  is 
very  certain  that,  as  we  have  already  suggested,  the  Duke  of  Gordon  had 
no  specific  colour  rule  to  breed  to.  We  give  a  few  extracts  from  letters 
which  appeared  in  that  London  newspaper. 

A  Mr.  Bastin  had  asked  for  information  as  to  the  name  of  the  dog  from 
which  the  black  and  tan  Gordons  had  descended,  stating  that  he  meant  a 
black,  white  and  tan  dog.  This  opened  the  gates  for  a  flood  of  information. 
Francis  Brailsford,  a  family  name  well  known  to  this  day  among  field 
trials  men,  said  that  the  dogs  of  the  late  Duke  were  invariably  black,  white 
and  tan.  "J.  C.  S."  said  the  same,  and  that  he  had  had  one  of  the  breed 
years  ago.  "D."  told  the  story  of  how  the  Marquis  of  Huntly,  as  the 
Duke  then  was,  got  a  black  and  tan  collie  bitch  from  a  shepherd  who  lived 
on  the  Findhorn  and  bred  her  to  one  of  his  best  dogs,  and  that  some  of  the 
litter  were  black  and  tan.  The  name  of  this  collie  was  Maddy,  and  she 
was  known  to  be  remarkably  clever  in  finding  grouse.  She  did  not  point 
them  but  "watched  them." 

English  Owners  of  Black  and  Tans  and  Tricolors 

Mr.  Samuel  Brown,  of  Melton  Mowbray,  a  gentleman  who  is  referred 
to  repeatedly  by  the  best  known  writers  on  the  breed,  confirmed  the  state-^ 


Ii\  pertnission  from  the  "American  Kennel  Gazelle' 
CHAMPION    BEAUMONT 
This  dog  of  many  owners  had  a  well-merited  career  of  success  before  and   after  becoming 
the  property  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Blossom 


IDSTONE'S   KENT 

Considered  the  best  dog  of  the  early  English  sho 
From  Stonehenge's  second  editiin 


period 


The  Gordon  Setter  199 

ment  that  the  tricolour  prevailed  in  the  Gordon  setters.  "An  old  gentle- 
man sportsman^  and  one  who  has  shot  over  the  same  breed  for  fifty  years 
and  knev^^  them  during  his  boyhood,  assures  me  that  the  late  Duke  of  Gor- 
don, the  Marquis  of  Anglesey,  and  several  other  noblemen  had  their 
original  stock  of  setters  from  the  late  Mr.  Coke  of  Longford,  and  that  the 
colour  was  usually  black,  white  and  tan.  Mine  are  descended  from  the 
original  breed  of  Mr.  Coke,  the  Gordons  Regent  and  Fan,  and  within  the 
last  five  years  from  a  black,  white  and  tan  bitch  which  I  got  direct  from 
the  Beaudesart  kennels. 

"  I  am  aware  that  there  are  black-tan  setters  which  are  not  of  the  same 
blood  as  the  Gordon  breed,  and  recollect  crossing  from  one  more  than  forty 
years  ago  that  was  bred  by  the  late  Mr.  Edge  of  Strelly.  I  also  recollect 
a  clergyman  having  a  pure  breed  of  black-tans  about  that  period.  They 
fetched  high  prices  at  Tattersall's,  but  were  not  sold  as  Gordon  setters." 

"D"  here  enters  the  discussion  again,  and  says  that  he  was  born  within 
nine  miles  of  Gordon  Castle  and  still  resided  there,  and  that  in  his  neigh- 
bourhood "it  was  as  well  known  that  there  was  a  collie  strain  in  some  of 
the  Duke's  dogs  as  that  there  was  a  strain  in  Lord  Rivers's  greyhounds." 
Further  than  that  he  states  specifically:  "The  duke  got  a  clever  colley 
bitch  (black  and  tan)  from  a  farmer's  son  in  the  Streens,  on  the  Findhorn. 
The  family  are  still  on  the  farm,  and,  if  necessary,  I  can  get  this  statement 
verified.  He  crossed  the  bitch  with  a  setter,  and  next  year  sent  a  pup  with 
a  five-pound  note  to  the  farmer's  son.  The  farmer's  son  tried  to  make  a 
sheep  dog  of  the  pup,  but  he  was  useless." 

Mr.  Adye  in  a  rather  discursive  reply  gives  some  very  good  information 
as  to  some  strains  from  which  much  of  what  is  called  Gordon  blood  came. 
He  is  writing  regarding  a  dog  called  Beau,  whose  placing  at  a  recent  show 
had  caused  criticism.  "His  pedigree  is  clear  and  authentic  on  all  sides  for 
some  forty  years,  as  he  is  descended  from  the  two  Gordons  above  alluded  to. 
Regent  and  Fan  or  Crop  [Young  Regent  and  Crop,  sold  to  Lord  Chester- 
field at  the  sale  of  Gordon  setters],  and  the  black,  white  and  tan  breed  of 
the  Marquis  of  Anglesea,  who  is  well  known  to  have  kept  his  setters  for 
sixty  years,  pure  and  unmixed  with  any  other  blood.  With  regard  to  the 
curl  in  Beau's  coat,  he  derives  that  from  the  late  A.  W.  Coke's  black,  white 
and  tan  breed,  most  of  which  he  used  to  say — at  least  the  best — had  the 
curl.  Mr.  Coke  always  said  the  more  curly  the  coat  the  better  the  dog. 
The  Marquis  of  Anglesea's  were  wavy-coated,  with  very  long  silky  feather. 


200  The  Dog  Book 

Both  the  Gordons,  Regent  and  Crop,  were  wavy-coated.  The  sire  of  Beau 
was  even  more  curly-coated  than  his  son,  and  Mr.  Brown  of  Melton  Mow- 
bray, who  bred  both,  tells  me  that  he  took  after  Mr.  Coke's  breed,  in  coat — 
which,  though  curly,  was  as  soft  as  floss  silk — as  well  as  in  make,  character 
and  goodness  in  the  field,  and  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  better." 

The  Duke  Not  Conservative  as  to  Colour 

Mr.  John  Fisher  of  Leeds  tells  of  how  the  Duke  used  to  send  down  to 
Major  Bower  of  Welham  for  greyhounds  to  run  at  the  Scotch  meetings: 
"After  Belle  had  won  the  Malton  Cup  I  handed  her  and  a  setter  dog 
over  to  His  Grace's  trainer,  who  was  sent  from  Scotland  expressly  for  them. 
The  setter  came  from  Ebberstone  Lodge — ^whether  from  Mr.  Osbaldestone's 
own  kennel  or  not  I  cannot  say,  but  he  was  brought  to  Welham  by  Mr. 
Inman,  his  gamekeeper.  This  dog  was  black  and  white,  no  tan,  with  long 
thin  feather;  not  less  than  twenty-six  inches  at  the  shoulder;  rather  lathy 
looking,  with  a  grand  head  and  stern,  and  had  the  appearance  of  great 
courage. 

"His  Grace's  setters  of  that  day  were  said  to  be  black;  but  as  John's 
specialty  was  greyhounds  rather  than  setters,  it  is  quite  possible  they  may 
have  been  black  and  tan,  and  that  he  overlooked  the  latter.  I  believe 
that  His  Grace  was  too  thoroughly  a  sportsman  to  confine  himself  to  shades 
of  colour  or  fancy  markings  even  in  his  setters;  and  if  on  trial  the  Ebberstone 
Lodge  dog  was  found  to  be  as  good  as  his  looks,  he  would  not  hesitate  to 
breed  from  him;  and  I  think  it  not  improbable  that  the  white  still  found  in 
some  of  the  pure  Gordons  may  be  the  result  of  this  very  cross,  for  he  was 
a  very  likely  dog  to  leave  his  mark  in  more  respects  than  one."  Mr.  Adye, 
in  commenting  on  this  statement,  wrote  that  Mr.  Brown  had  been  told  by 
Mr.  Coke  himself  that  he  often  sent  dogs  to  the  Duke  of  Gordon  and 
received  others  in  exchange,  in  order  now  and  then  to  obtain  fresh  blood. 

Mr.  Fisher  might  well  have  given  the  date  of  the  transaction.  "After 
Belle  had  won  the  Malton  Cup"  is  decidedly  indefinite,  even  in  England, 
and  is  of  course  meaningless  to  Americans.  But  fortunately  our  library 
contains  Thomas  Goodlake's  "Coursing  Manual,"  published  in  1828,  just 
late  enough  to  contain  the  entry  of  Major  Bowers's  black  and  white  bitch 
Belle  as  having  run  second  for  the  cup  at  Malton  in  1827  and  getting  a 
goblet  therefor.      Whether  this  is  the  "win"  referred  to  by  Mr.   Fisher 


CHAMP1(_)X    ECHO   CLINTON    II 
A  dog  which  lately  secured  his  prefix  title 


JEROME    MARBLE'S   GROUSE 
A  well-known  dog  of  early  show  days  in  America 


The  Gordon  Setter  201 

cannot  be  asserted  definitely  from  the  sources  of  information  at  our  dis- 
posal, but  we  have  the  date  near  enough  when  that  black  and  white  dog 
must  have  gone  north  to  Gordon  Castle.  The  Duke  of  Gordon  was  at 
that  time  a  member  of  the  very  select  coterie  that  formed  the  Malton  Club. 
There  were  only  eleven  members,  and  Major  Bower  was  the  honorary 
secretary  and  treasurer.  Mr.  Osbaldestone,  according  to  Cecil's  "Records 
of  the  Chase,"  went  to  Northamptonshire  in  1827  o^  1828  from  Leicester- 
shire, but  the  name  of  his  establishment  at  the  former  place  is  not  given. 
He  lived  at  Quorndon  Hall  in  Leicestershire  and  was  just  such  another  all- 
round  sportsman  as  Colonel  Thornton,  except  that  he  went  in  more  for 
hunting,  while  Thornton  made  hawking  his  hobby. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Hutchinson,  who  wrote  as  "Sixty-one,"  chimes  in  with 
a  reminiscence  of  the  Gordon  sale.  He  dined  on  that  day  with  the  Laird 
of  Raith,  and  sat  between  a  son  of  the  Duke  of  Richmond  and  a  cousin  of 
the  Duchess,  both  of  whom  were  well  acquainted  with  the  Gordon  Castle 
setters,  which  were  apparently  the  main  subject  of  conversation.  From  that 
conversation,  coupled  with  one  he  had  just  had  with  a  very  near  relative 
of  the  present  Duke  of  Gordon,  "Sixty-one"  writes  as  follows:  "Once 
more,  and  for  the  last  time,  I  will  repeat  what  years  ago  I  stated  in  the 
Field,  knowing  it  to  be  the  true  version,  viz. :  that  the  original  colour,  taken, 
sent  or  brought  to  Gordon  Castle  was  black,  white  and  tan.  That  the  Duke 
of  Gordon  did  cross  with  a  black  setter  of  Lord  Lovat's,  that  came  from 
Raith,  where  the  breed  was,  to  my  knowledge,  very  good.  His  Grace 
may — very  likely  did — cross  with  others,  for,  as  Mr.  Fisher  says.  His  Grace 
was  not  the  man  to  confine  himself  to  shades  and  fancies;  but  black,  or 
black  and  white,  and  black  and  tan  were  his  crossing  colours."  Comment- 
ing further  on  some  of  the  correspondence,  "Sixty-one"  says  he  has  known 
the  black  and  tans  for  forty  years  and  owned  them  for  twenty.  "Reuben, 
the  champion  setter,  was  bred  by  my  friend  Mr.  Malcolm,  by  his  Milo  out 
of  Ruin,  whom  he  purchased  of  Lord  Roslyn.  Ruin  was  by  my  black 
and  tan  dog  Grouse  H.  (whom  I  gave  to  Lord  Roslyn)  out  of  his  black, 
white  and  tan  bitch  Duchess,  the  handsomest  animal  of  the  breed  I  ever 
remember  seeing.  My  dog  Grouse  H.  had  very  little  fringe,  or  flag.  I 
still  have  in  my  possession  Rapid,  own  sister  to  Ruin  and  of  the  same  litter, 
and  nearly  if  not  quite  as  fine  a  bitch.  Rapid  has  very  little  fringe  or  flag. 
She  has  bred  me  several  litters,  among  them  some  black,  white  and  tan, 
but  not  particularly  fringed  or  flagged.     I  cannot  remember  any  curly- 


202  The  Dog  Book 

coated  among  her  progeny,  and  am  glad  of  it,  as  I  don't  believe  in  curly- 
coated   Gordons." 

Mr.  Robinson  having  asked  "Sixty-one"  to  say  something  about  the 
proportion  of  black  and  tan  puppies  he  would  expect  even  if  bred  from 
black  and  white  Gordons,  he  was  answered  as  follows:  "I  never  cal- 
culate on  my  black  and  tan  bitches  producing  black,  white  and  tan  puppies, 
though  always  well  pleased  when  they  do  so,  and  I  hardly  ever  have  any 
puppies  that  are  not  somewhere  marked  with  white,  generally  a  white 
frill.  I  mean  no  fancy  word,  but  a  white  frill,  showing  what  a  well-dressed 
gentleman  of  the  olden  school  he  is.  Rapid  has  bred  me  in  her  time  four 
black,  white  and  tan,  all  very  handsome,  good  dogs.  Old  Lady  bred  me  four 
also,  that  were  very  handsome  and  good.  Young  Lady  bred  me  three, 
and  among  them  was  one  of  the  best  of  the  breed  I  ever  owned. 

"Sixty-One"  Compares  Irish  and  Gordon 

"Allow  me  to  suggest  a  point  which  I  think  would  be  worth  investi- 
gation. Taking  for  granted  that  it  is  proven  that  the  original  setter  (taken 
or  sent  to  Gordon  Castle,  I  believe,  by  the  first  Marquis  of  Anglesea)  was 
black,  white  and  tan,  that  that  said  black  and  tan  [sic]  dog  was  also  at 
Holkham  in  the  late  Earl  of  Leicester's  time,  and  in  Derbyshire  in  his 
brother's — I  ask  whence  came  this  dog  or  breed  .?  It  is  worth  inquiry." 
Presumably  that  is  the  information  he  says  in  the  previous  letter  he  had 
written  to  the  Field  years  ago.  "Sixty-one"  then  proceeds  to  say  that  in 
make  and  shape  the  Irish  and  Gordons  are  identical,  and  that,  but  for  the 
tan,  the  latter  were  the  exact  counterpart  of  the  black  and  white  setters, 
with  just  the  least  touch  of  tan,  that  were  owned  by  the  Marquis  of  Ormonde 
and  Captain  Butler.  He  adds  that  in  1833  he  compared  two  of  these 
Ormonde  or  Butler  setters  [Butler  is  the  name  of  the  Ormonde  family] 
with  some  Gordons  belonging  to  Lord  Panmure,  the  Admiral  Wemyss  and 
others  at  Mill  Den,  and  that  all  were  astonished  with  the  resemblance, 
barring  the  lack  of  tan. 

This  statement  we  give  to  show  that  at  that  period  there  could  not  have 
been  the  difference  between  the  Gordon  and  Irish  setters,  which  was  shown 
at  the  period  of  the  institution  of  dog  shows.  We  do  not  see  how  it  is  pos- 
sible to  accept  his  opinion  as  to  this  claim  as  applying  to  the  setters  of  1870: 
"The  Gordon  setter  is  in  shape,  make  and  action,  in  all    but  colour,  the 


The  Gordon  Setter  203 

Irish  setter  all  over."  He  is  wrong  there,  most  undoubtedly,  but  this  can 
be  explained  by  this  quotation  from  Laverack:  "The  Rev.  Mr.  Hutchin- 
son has  as  good  a  breed  of  black  and  tans  as  any  one,  being  much  lighter, 
and  not  nearly  as  cumbersome  as  the  ordinary  class."  Of  course  if  you  are 
going  to  take  light  Gordons  and  somewhat  heavily  built  Irish  you  will  not 
have  much  distinction  of  type,  and  that  Gordons  differed  in  those  days  is 
unquestionable.  Laverack  describes  them  thus,  in  the  next  paragraph 
to  the  foregoing  quotation:  "Black-tans,  as  a  rule,  have  sour,  coarse  heads; 
shoulders  loaded,  heavy  and  too  upright;  are  heavy  and  thick-limbed; 
large  feet,  often  too  straight  and  stilty  in  hind  quarters;  tail  thick  and  ropy. 
Many  of  the  black  tans  have  obstinate  and  stubborn  tempers,  and  not  par- 
ticularly easy  to  break."  Again  he  says:  "They  are  longer  in  the  leg 
and  looser  in  the  loin,  heavier  and  coarser  in  head,  thicker  in  the  neck, 
more  throaty  than  other  breeds  and  not  so  clean  made  in  the  limbs  or  so 
short  in  the  back;  neither  are  they  so  close  in  feet.  Nevertheless,  they 
are  very  beautiful  dogs,  and  I  have  seen  many  good  black-tans,  more  par- 
ticularly those  of  the  lighter  build." 

Mr.  Laverack's  knowledge  of  the  setters  at  Gordon  Castle  has  already 
■  been  set  forth  in  an  earlier  quotation,  and  he  was  also  acquainted  with  the 
setters  of  Major  Douglas  and  Mr.  Thompson,  who  kept  their  setters  at 
Broughton  Ferry,  near  Dundee,  and  presumably  of  the  same  strain  as  those 
of  the  Duke  of  Gordon,  Lord  Panmure  and  Admiral  Wemyss.  Laverack 
thought  it  would  be  a  good  plan  to  cross  with  the  Irish  blood-red  setter 
to  give  them  better  heads  and  render  them  lighter  and  give  them  more 
endurance,  so  that  the  Gordons  or  black  and  tans  he  knew  could  not  have 
been  of  the  light  type  resembling  Irish  such  as  "Sixty-one"  describes. 

In  Captain  Brown's  "Anecdotes  of  Dogs"  (Edinburgh,  1829),  he 
makes  no  mention  of  Gordons,  nor  of  Irish  either,  for  that  matter,  merely 
giving  a  short  description  under  the  head  of  "The  English  Setter,"  and  then 
some  anecdotes.  One  of  these  is  from  a  letter  from  Mr.  Torry,  a  resident 
of  Edinburgh,  who  furnished  two  or  three  of  the  anecdotes,  and  in  the 
one  referred  to  he  said:  "The  black  and  tanned  small  bitch  which  I 
have  was  originally  out  of  the  Duke  of  Bedford's  breed."  He  then  told 
of  taking  her  at  ten  months  old  to  the  moors,  and  without  a  single  training 
lesson  she  pointed,  backed  and  was  staunch,  and  also  retrieved  a  bird  of 
her  own  volition.  "This  happened  in  1825."  Mr.  Torry  also  told  about 
a  dog  owned  by  a  friend  of  his,  "a  rough  brown  setter,  out  of  the  shepherd's 


204  The  Dog  Book 

Colley,  which  possesses  much  sagacity,  both  as  a  sporting  and  fancy  dog, 
and  has  the  faculty  of  smell  to  a  surprising  degree."  One  more  anecdote 
is  given  by  the  author  regarding  another  of  Mr.  Torry's  setters,  which  is 
not  described;  so  that  very  evidently  Mr.  Torry  was  a  shooting  man  and  con- 
versant with  setters.  Therefore  his  statement  as  to  colour  and  origin  of  his 
small  setter  bitch  was  undoubtedly  correct,  and  it  only  goes  to  show  how 
widespread  the  black  and  tan  setter  was  at  that  period,  and  in  how  many 
gentlemen's  kennels  the  colour  could  be  found. 

"Idstone"  on  the  Origin  and  Colour 

It  is  to  "Idstone"  that  we  owe  the  best  account  of  the  early  Gordons 
of  the  English  show  bench,  for  he  was  an  exhibitor  and  breeder  during  that 
period  and  took  more  particular  notice  of  the  Gordons  than  any  other 
writer  of  modern  times.  "Idstone's"  "The  Dog"  was  published  in  1872. 
With  regard  to  crosses  and  the  colour  dispute,  "Idstone"  says  with  truth 
that  "no  dispute  has  ever  been  raised  as  to  their  quality,  and  dogs  with  any 
trace  of  descent  from  the  Duke's  blood  command  the  highest  prices.  To 
trace  back  to  his  Regent,  Old  Bang,  Old  Don,  or  to  Mr.  Coke's  Pan  or 
Fan — for  Mr.  Coke  and  the  Duke  bred  from  the  same  stock — is  ample 
warrant  for  purity  of  lineage."  On  the  authority  of  a  gentleman,  then 
living,  and  who  had  shot  with  the  Duke,  "Idstone"  stated  that  black  and 
tans  and  tricolours  were  kept  at  the  castle.  Howitt,  the  artist-engraver,  is 
quoted  as  calling  them  black,  but  as  "Idstone"  remarks,  it  is  nothing  out 
of  the  way  to  hear  colours  misnamed  in  this  way,  such  as  black  and  white 
or  black  and  tan,  for  a  tricolour  collie.  Howitt,  it  appears,  tells  nothing 
except  that  one  might  as  well  ask  the  Duke  for  a  church  living  as  for  one  of 
his  setters.  Perhaps  we  are  in  error  as  to  the  Howitt  "Idstone"  refers  to, 
but  that  is  the  only  man  of  the  name  of  any  prominence  in  connection  with 
dogs  or  the  sports  of  the  field  that  we  know  of.  He  lived  in  the  early  part 
of  the  last  century,  and  his  best  work  was  done  from  1798  to  1800.  In  our 
copy  of  "The  British  Sportsman,"  a  series  of  seventy-two  plates,  drawn  and 
engraved  by  Howitt,  that  of  the  setter  is  unfortunately  one  of  the  two  miss- 
ing, but  the  setter  appears  in  some  of  the  others,  including  that  of  grouse- 
shooting,  and  not  one  is  a  black  and  tan  or  a  tricolour  so  far  as  can  be 
judged.  If  this  is  the  Howitt  referred  to,  it  is  all  the  more  to  be  regretted 
that  Colonel  Thornton  gave  us  no  information  regarding  any  setters  at 


The  Gordon  Setter  205 

Gordon  Castle  on  the  occasion  of  his  visit,  to  which  we  have  made  reference, 
and  which  was  made  shortly  before  Howitt's  best  work  was  done. 

Referring  to  the  collie  cross,  "Idstone"  says  he  does  not  give  much 
credence  to  the  story,  but  acknowledges  that  he  has  seen  the  tail  of  the  collie 
occasionally  in  the  very  best  and  most  authentic  strains  which  trace  directly 
to  the  Duke's  breed.  Also  that  he  had  one  from  Wemyss  Castle  which  ran 
around  its  game  "like  a  Scotch  sheep  dog  round  a  flock,  and  from  first  to 
last  determined  to  put  the  birds  between  herself  and  me."  This  bitch  showed 
something  of  the  collie  in  her  appearance  and  "Idstone"  always  was  of  the 
opinion  that  she  was  not  pure  setter.  He  also  had  two  curled-tailed  puppies 
in  the  first  litter  he  ever  bred  from  dogs  of  undoubted  Castle  strain,  and 
from  Ruby  by  Ranger.  "These  were  Argyle  II.,  one  of  the  best  dogs  I 
ever  saw,  and  a  dog  so  close  to  Kent  when  he  first  appeared  that  the  judges 
had  hard  work  to  decide  between  them.  He  was  to  my  mind  far  superior 
to  Kent  except  in  stern.  ['Idstone'  owned  them  both.]  The  other  was 
the  bitch  Ruth,  which  I  subsequently  sent  to  Lord  Bolingbroke." 

After  stating  that  the  breed  does  not  differ  in  any  essential  point 
from  the  English  setter,  "Idstone"  proceeds:  "He  fails,  however,  in  some 
points  wherein  the  English  setter  excels.  He  has  not  so  finely  formed  a 
head;  it  inclines  occasionally  to  the  heavy  and  bloodhound  type.  His  ears 
are  frequently  too  large  and  weighted  with  coat,  as  well  as  leather.  He  is 
far  too  heavy — I  am  writing  of  the  common  type  observed  at  our  shows — 
and  he  must  be  refined  at  any  cost.  ...  In  spite  of  his  wide  chest 
and  loaded  fore  quarters,  he  is  free,  active  and  lithe  in  his  gallop,  and  a 
good  specimen  (I  mean  a  narrow,  deep-chested,  long  and  low  Gordon  setter) 
will  more  than  hold  his  own.  I  have  seen  better  setters  of  the  black  and 
tan  than  of  any  other  breed." 

He  then  credits  them  with  not  being  so  thirsty  as  the  other  setters, 
but  admits  that  they  are  nervous  dogs,  and  though  one  may  require  no  in- 
struction another  may  be  the  veriest  dullard.  One  good  word  is  that  he 
never  saw  one  of  them  go  lame,  and  he  speaks  of  their  grace  on  point. 

Improbability   of  Any  Irish  Cross 

"Idstone"  thought  they  must  have  tried  Irish  blood  at  the  Castle,  "for 
in  every  litter,  provided  it  descends  from  his  kennel,  there  are  a  brace  or 
more  of  red  setters.     These  have  the  peculiarity  of  being  almost  white  until 


2o6  The  Dog  Book 

they  moult  their  setter  [sic]  coat,  when  they  take  the  brilliant  mahogany 
red,  and  follow  the  form  and  have  the  noiseless  panther  gallop  of  the  Irish 
setter."  This  statement  is  exclusively  that  of  this  writer,  and  if  it  had  been 
at  all  generally  known  surely  "Sixty-one"  would  have  been  only  too  glad 
to  tack  it  on  his  claim  that  the  Gordons  originally  came  from  Ireland  and 
resembled  the  Irish  most  closely.  "  Stonehenge  "  said  the  Irish  was  used 
to  get  the  tan,  but  the  tan  was  there  in  the  English  setter  long,  long  before 
there  was  a  setter  in  Scotland. 

We  doubt  the  Irish  affiliation  very  much,  and  for  this  reason:  The 
Duke  was  a  great  breeder  of  improved  cattle,  and  he  got  his  shorthorns  from 
England.  He  went  in  for  coursing  and  he  got  his  greyhounds  from  England, 
and,  as  we  have  seen,  he  got  a  setter  from  Mr.  Osbaldestone  when  he  sent 
his  trainer  to  Major  Bower  for  the  greyhound  Belle.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Malton  Coursing  Club;  he  was  well  acquainted  with  Colonel  Thornton 
and  had  received  the  gift  of  a  pointer  from  him;  he  exchanged  setters  with 
Mr.  Coke,  so  that  all  his  associations  were  with  England.  There  was  no 
taking  a  "Flying  Scotchman"  in  those  days  and  going  from  Gordon  Castle 
to  Yorkshire  in  a  day.  Colonel  Thornton  gave  up  his  Scottish  trips  on 
account  of  their  excessive  cost.  From  "Sporting  Anecdotes"  (second 
edition,  London,  1807),  we  take  the  following:  "So  much  was  the  Colonel 
enchanted  with  the  diversity  of  the  scenery  and  the  variety  and  quantity 
of  game  of  every  description  which  the  remote  parts  of  the  Highlands 
afforded,  that  he  there  passed  the  best  part  of  seventeen  years  in  succession." 
His  first  visit  was  paid  in  1789,  and  on  that  occasion  he  had  to  charter  a 
sloop  which  came  from  London  to  Whitby  to  take  his  party  to  Forres,  the 
point  nearest  to  his  destination.  We  continue  the  quotation:  "Previous 
to  Colonel  Thornton's  quitting  the  Highlands,  he  gave  up  the  land  there 
which  he  had  received  from  the  Duke  of  Gordon,  where  he  had  erected  a 
small  mansion  in  the  Gothic  style,  which  was  called  Thornton  Castle.  The 
Colonel  was  prompted  to  this  measure  on  account  of  the  great  expense 
attending  the  keeping  up  of  this  establishment,  as  well  as  the  enormous 
sums  which  were  expended  in  travelling  from  England;  in  addition  to  which 
the  roads  were  scarcely  passable  during  the  rainy  season."  Here  we  have 
a  description  of  the  conditions  as  between  Gordon  Castle  and  Yorkshire, 
and  it  is  left  to  the  imagination  as  to  what  a  trip  from  Ireland  must  have 
been.  No,  we  will  have  to  discard  the  Irish  suggestion  altogether  and 
stick  to  the  line  of  least  resistance,  which  is,  that  when  he  sent  south  for  grey- 


The  Gordon  Setter  207 

hounds  or  cattle  he  got  what  setter  crosses  he  wanted.  His  man  would  have 
to  ride  on  horseback  as  the  easiest  mode  of  travel  and  the  dogs  or  animals 
would  have  to  walk.  Yet  Irish  setter  crosses  are  glibly  talked  about  as  if 
all  that  had  to  be  done  was  to  telephone  or  telegraph  to  Ireland  to  send 
over  an  Irish  setter  by  express  and  look  for  it  at  the  railway  station  the 
next  day. 

Still  another  point  is  that  the  colour  which  was  said  to  be  the  result 
of  the  introduction  of  the  Irish  blood  was  conspicuous  by  its  absence  in 
the  setters  sold  in  1836,  if  we  except  the  red  and  white  puppy,  and  after 
that  sale  there  was  never  any  suggestion  that  Irish  blood  was  being  intro- 
duced. There  is  more  food  for  thought  in  the  fact  of  the  impressive  black 
and  white  setter  from  Mr.  Osbaldestone  going  north  in  1827,  ^"d  seven  of 
the  eleven  lots  being  of  that  colour.  Red  and  white,  it  must  be  borne  in 
mind,  was  a  well  established  English  spaniel  and  setter  colour,  and  its 
presence  in  setters  whose  ancestors  were  a  mixed  lot  might  naturally  be 
expected. 

Early  English  Show  Dogs 

From  "Idstone's"  comments  on  the  dogs  of  his  day  we  give  what  may 
be  interesting  to  those  who  can  trace  back  the  pedigrees  of  their  dog  to  these 
old-timers.  He  owned  Kent,  the  leading  prize-winner  of  the  first  shows, 
and  he  says  he  was  weak  in  hind  quarters  and  thick  in  shoulders,  and  that 
he  probably  imposed  on  judges  by  his  rich  colour  and  stature.  His  get 
were  largely  gun-shy.  Reuben,  illustrated  by  Stonehenge,  was  a  dog  of 
mark  for  coat,  depth  of  chest  and  action.  Lord  Bolingbroke's  Argyle  was 
to  "Idstone's"  mind  the  best  Gordon  he  ever  saw.  "He  had  a  grand 
frame,  powerful  hocks  and  loin,  and  his  neck  and  shoulders  so  long,  well 
poised  and  muscular  that  he  would  have  taken  high  rank  anywhere.  He 
was  a  narrow,  deep-made,  racing-looking  dog,  of  true,  pure  Gordon  blood, 
and  I  will  engage  there  was  no  collie  blood  in  him,  though  several  of  his  get 
had  the  collie  stern,  which  rather  weakens  my  theory.  I  had  one  litter 
by  him  out  of  Ruby,  which  included  those  celebrated  public  winners, 
Argyle  II.,  Boll  and  my  bitch  Regent,  who  was  never  beaten  except  by  her 
mother.  Regent  was  the  most  perfect  Gordon  I  ever  saw."  Except  in  coat, 
Moll  was  not  so  good  as  Regent.  She  was  bred  by  Mr.  Jobling  and  owned 
by  Mr.  Handy.  The  Marquis  of  Huntly  owned  two  good  ones  in  Silk  and 
Young  Kent;  the  latter  was  not  fast,  but  a  perfect  field  dog.     Mr.  Jobling's 


2o8  The  Dog  Book 

Dandy  was  one  of  the  best  setters  of  his  day  as  to  coat  and  colour.  His 
son  Fleming's  Dandy,  out  of  Lord  Loughborough's  Ruin,  was  a  most  excel- 
lent field  dog,  scoring  high  at  the  first  field  trials  in  England.  Brown's 
Robin  L  was  also  a  very  clever  field  dog,  and  "Idstone"  tells  how  on  one 
occasion  when  his  retriever  was  at  fault  on  a  running  bird,  Robin,  who  had 
been  watching  from  "down-charge"  got  up,  caught  the  running  bird, 
took  it  to  the  retriever  and  dropped  it,  then  returning  to  his  down-charge. 

In  English  field  trials  Gordon  setters  have  been  anything  but  promi- 
nent, and  the  same  can  be  said  of  them  in  this  country.  From  1879  to  1891 
Major  Taylor  had  record  of  but  ten  dogs  he  could  class  as  "Gordons  and 
Black  and  Tans,"  and  of  these  the  earliest  two  were  not  pure  Gordons. 
These  were  Ned  and  Glen,  owned  by  Dr.  Aten  of  Brooklyn,  and  runners 
at  the  Eastern  Field  Trials  of  1879  and  1880.  Four  more  of  the  ten  ran  in 
one  stake  confined  to  Gordons,  leaving  four  placed  Gordons  in  the  entire 
number  of  public  stakes  for  a  period  of  thirteen  years.  The  Gordon  Setter 
Club,  which  might  have  done  something  toward  gaining  some  popularity 
for  the  breed  as  field  dogs,  seems  to  have  died  of  inertia  since  Mr.  Blossom 
ceased  to  take  the  active  part  he  did  in  forcing  dog  shows  to  give  good  classi- 
fications for  the  breed.  We  cannot  therefore  expatiate  on  qualities  which 
have  not  been  publicly  demonstrated. 

As  a  dog-show  breed  the  Gordons  have  had  a  most  erratic  career,  now 
popular  and  in  a  year  or  two  quite  neglected,  only  to  spurt  once  more 
under  the  impetus  of  some  new  fancier  who  in  a  year  or  two  tired  and 
dropped  out  to  leave  the  breed  in  the  doldrums. 

Our  first  recollection  of  the  late  Dr.  Rowe  was  in  connection  with  a 
Gordon  setter  he  had  lost  when  at  St.  Louis.  He  had  called  upon  Mr. 
Foster,  editor  of  the  newly  started  New  York  Sportsman,  to  ask  him  to 
notice  his  loss,  in  the  hope  of  recovering  the  dog.  He  never  got  the  stray 
back,  however.  At  that  time  Dr.  Rowe  was  contributing  to  the  billiard 
columns  of  Turf,  Field  and  Farm.  Mr.  Tileston  was  one  of  the  early 
supporters  of  Gordons,  Tileston's  Loo  being  a  prominent  winner  in  1876 
and  1877,  Marble's  Grouse  being  also  a  winner  in  the  dog  classes.  The 
first  dog  of  real  merit  was  Taylor's  Turk,  which  we  remember  seeing  win 
the  champion  prize  at  New  York  in  1880,  and  he  continued  to  win  until 
1885,  when  he  took  three  firsts,  all  however  under  the  same  judge.  The 
same  owner  also  at  that  time  had  a  good  bitch  named  Gem,  which  was  never 
beaten  after  we  gave  her  a  first  at  Danbury  in  1884. 


CHAMPION    DOC 
A  home-bred  champion  from  the  Blossom  Kennels 


MR.   E.   MAKER'S   CHAMPION   ROYAL  DUKE 
At  the  time  this  photograph  was  taken  it  was  customary  to  retouch  negatives  very  much,  not  always  to  theii 


Photo  by  Sckreiber 
iiprovement 


The  Gordon  Setter  209 

An  early  Canadian  fancier  of  the  breed  was  Dr.  J.  S.  Niven,  of 
London,  who  was  also  an  importer  of  several  spaniels  and  Irish  terriers 
with  all  of  which  he  was  very  successful.  He  imported  Blossom,  the  dog 
selected  by  Vero  Shaw  to  illustrate  "The  Book  of  the  Dog"  article,  and 
from  which  and  the  imported  bitch  Moll  he  bred  Argus,  a  dog  that  had  a 
very  good  show  record  ere  he  was  retired  in  1887,  winning  about  a  dozen 
championships  besides  other  prizes.  Blossom  did  not  do  nearly  so  well 
and  was  only  shown  at  two  or  three  shows,  one  of  them  being  London  in 
1 88 1,  when  he  defeated  his  son  Argus,  it  being  the  latter's  only  defeat  that 
we  can  recall. 

Philadelphia  has  always  been  a  strong  supporter  of  this  breed.  Mr.  A. 
H.  Moore's  Bob  was  the  first  of  a  long  line  of  winners  owned  there,  and  was 
followed  by  Mr.  Maher's  Royal  Duke,  who  was  the  prominent  winner  of 
his  day.  Ned  Maher  was  a  very  popular  owner  and  quite  a  good  dog 
was  named  after  him,  but  when  the  owner  registered  it  with  the  Kennel 
Club  he  spelt  the  name  Mayers,  and  the  registration  official  did  not 
detect  the  error,  which  cannot  now  be  corrected.  Lapping  the  Royal 
Duke  period  came  the  first  of  a  most  successful  showing  by  Dr.  S.  G. 
Dixon,  also  of  Philadelphia,  whose  first  good  winner  was  Little  Boy,  who 
began  as  first.  New  York,  1884,  and  as  late  as  1890  won  in  six  champion 
classes. 

Mr.  Morris  of  New  York  had  also  at  that  time  that  very  good  dog 
Beaumont,  which  in  1890  became  the  head  of  the  Beaumont  Kennels,  and 
had  for  company  such  good  Gordons  as  Belmont,  Beemont,  Flomont  and 
others.  Then  there  was  the  Meadowthorpe  Kennels  in  Kentucky,  with  its 
short-lived,  but  good-winning  kennel  of  dogs,  including  the  Gordons  Mea- 
dowthorpe Heather  Roy,  Heather  Harold,  Rex  and  Defiance.  "Scotch" 
Baillie,  who  managed  the  kennels,  was  an  excellent  judge  of  sporting 
dogs  and  his  entries  were  always  close  up  to  the  blues. 

Dr.  Dixon  added  materially  to  his  kennel,  and  there  never  was  a  period 
in  the  history  of  Gordon  setters  in  this  country  when  there  were  so  many 
good  ones  opposing  one  another.  The  Dixons  included  Countess  of  Rich- 
mond, Duchess  of  Waverley,  Field  Marshal,  Ivanhoe  and  Lady  Waverley 
as  the  chief  winners,  in  addition  to  Little  Boy,  already  mentioned.  Mr. 
Frank  Smith,  also  and  still  of  Philadelphia,  had  one  or  two  money-winners 
during  this  time.  King  Item,  Roxie  and  Countess  Roxie  doing  a  creditable 
amount  of  winning  against  such  strong  competition. 


2IO  The  Dog  Book 

The  American  Gordon's  Brief  Career 

We  have  now  carried  the  record  to  1890,  and  at  this  stage  it  is  necessary 
to  say  something  regarding  the  efforts  to  change  the  type  of  the  Gordon 
setter.  Mr.  Harry  Malcolm  of  Baltimore  was  a  firm  believer  in  a  lighter 
built  dog  than  the  show  Gordon,  and  as  there  are  always  a  good  many  dogs 
not  quite  right  according  to  show  points  he  did  not  experience  much 
difficulty  in  getting  a  good  deal  of  support  from  men  who  would  like  to  win, 
but  could  not,  and  were  willing  to  join  any  movement  that  might  lead  to 
that  result.  So  the  American  Gordon  was  boomed,  and  as  the  American 
Kennel  Club  was  not  very  strong  at  that  time  it  was  easily  led  into 
changing  the  vacillating  stud-book  title  for  the  breed  and  styling  the 
variety,  ** American  Gordon  and  Black  and  Tan  Setters."  But  in  the 
"Stud  Book"  for  that  year,  1890,  the  record  of  registrations  was  under 
the  title  of  "Black  and  Tan  Setters."  Mr.  Malcolm  in  his  article  on  the 
American  Gordon,  published  in  1901,  hailed  this  diluted  recognition  of  the 
title  as  a  great  victory,  but  the  club  which  was  to  support  the  new  title 
never  put  forth  another  effort,  and  next  year  the  records  of  the  American 
Kennel  Club  returned  to  "Gordon  Setter"  and  have  remained  so  ever  since. 
The  American  Gordon  was  a  light-built  black  and  tan  setter  incapable 
of  winning  against  dogs  of  type,  and  no  owner  is  going  to  continue  paying 
entry  fees  and  express  charges  on  dogs  incapable  of  winning.  The  Gordon 
distinction  was  very  much  like  present-day  foxhound  division.  A  first- 
class  hound  is  shown  as  English.  When  not  good  enough  to  win  in  that 
class  he  is  made  to  do  duty  as  an  American.  Not  but  what  there  is  a  fox- 
hound perfectly  eligible  to  be  shown  as  American,  but  not  the  half-bred 
harrier  type  that  wins  under  that  title. 

The  Beaumont  Kennels  of  Dr.  Myer  were  broken  up  in  1892,  Mr. 
J.  B.  Blossom,  who  had  been  showing  a  few  dogs,  taking  over  the  best  of  the 
Beaumonts,  and  adding  thereto  some  new  ones,  such  as  Heather  Bee  and 
Heather  York.  He  thus  became  the  only  dangerous  competitor  to  the  dogs 
of  Dr.  Dixon,  for  the  Meadowthorpes  had  given  up  exhibiting  and  all  the 
dogs  had  been  sold.  Next  year  the  Dwight  Kennels  was  started  at  the 
town  of  that  name  in  Illinois,  the  dogs  being  owned  by  Mr.  J.  R.  Oughton, 
who  aided  most  materially  in  advancing  the  interests  of  the  breed  through- 
out the  West.  He  even  invaded  New  York,  and  with  Heather  Lad  won 
first  in  open  class  and  also  took  second  with  a  puppy.     Another  Western 


CHAMPION    HEATHER   BRUCK 
A  prominent  member  of  Mr.  J.  B.  Blossom's  winnin;;  kennel  of  Gordon  Setteis 


CHAMPION    HEATHER    LAD 

An  exceedingly  good  dog,  imported  from  Mr.  Robert  Chapman's  kennels  by  Dr  J.  R.  Ougliton,  of  Dwight,  111. 


The  Gordon  Setter  211 

kennel  called  the  Highland  also  sent  dogs  to  New  York  and  contended 
against  the  Dwight  dogs  throughout  the  West,  the  best  of  this  kennel  being 
Highland   Yola. 

Dr.  Dixon  did  not  make  any  additions  to  his  kennel  for  several  years, 
and  his  entries  gradually  became  fewer,  until  1896  saw  the  last  of  what 
was  probably  the  strongest  kennel  of  Gordons  ever  got  together.  In  their 
best  days  they  certainly  beat  everything  and  it  took  the  best  of  several 
kennels  to  peg  them  back  eventually.  The  leading  exhibitors  were  now 
reduced  to  Mr.  Blossom  in  New  York,  and  the  Dwight  and  Highland 
Kennels  in  the  West,  no  less  than  twenty-two  of  the  recorded  eighty-four 
winners  of  reserve  or  better  during  1897  being  owned  by  one  or  other  of 
these  three  kennels.  This  of  course  made  it  difficult  for  the  small  men  to 
win,  and  as  a  natural  result  we  find  in  succeeding  years  that  competition 
dwindled  to  such  an  extent  that  it  was  only  by  the  hardest  work  on  the  part 
of  the  Gordon  Setter  Club  that  the  same  number  of  classes  were  offered 
as  for  English  and  Irish  setters.  In  1900  there  were  but  fifty-five  recorded 
winners  of  reserve  or  better,  and  as  the  Western  kennels  did  not  send  to 
the  Eastern  shows  that  year  their  absence  still  further  reduced  competition, 
and  the  best  dog  in  the  East  that  season  was  Mr.  Blossom's  Doc,  while 
Heather  Lad  still  led  among  the  Western  setters. 

Mr.  Blossom  retired  in  1900,  after  having  not  only  played  a  conspicuous 
part  in  the  prize  lists,  but  having  by  his  untiring  energy  in  insisting  upon 
"equal  rights  for  the  Gordons"  done  a  great  deal  of  work  for  others  for 
which  he  has  never  been  given  full  credit.  We  then  had  a  year  or  two  of 
the  Vancroft  Kennel,  with  a  grand  specimen,  even  if  he  was  going  grey,  in 
Duke  of  Edgeworth  as  leader.  Much  as  we  thought  of  some  of  the  dogs 
of  the  past,  we  can  hardly  name  one  that,  both  fit  and  well,  could  positively 
have  beaten  the  Duke  of  Edgeworth.  He  possessed  quality,  character 
and  conformation  in  a  marked  degree,  and  must  have  been  a  grand  dog  in 
his  prime,  for  even  when  he  was  showing  grey  about  the  muzzle,  as  was  the 
case  when  exhibited  here,  he  won  the  highest  honours  at  New  York,  Pitts- 
burg, Buffalo,  and  again  at  New  York  at  the  Ladies'  Kennel  Association 
show.  He  was  defeated  at  Chicago,  but  not  on  his  merits,  the  setter  judging 
at  that  show  being  very  much  criticised. 

To  make  up  in  some  measure  for  departed  fanciers  in  the  East,  1901 
saw  the  advent  of  Mr.  B.  W.  Andrews,  who  may  be  said  to  be  a  Philadelphian, - 
although  a  resident  of  Woodbury.     Starting  modestly  Mr.  Andrews  has  im 


212  The  Dog  Book 

the  few  years  he  has  been  connected  with  Gordons  bred  more  winners  than 
any  of  his  contemporaries, and  he  is  one  of  the  restricted  class  to  whom  it  is  the 
greatest  gratification  to  breed  their  own  winners — the  true  fancier  feehng  that 
makes  a  man  last.  In  1901  Mr.  Andrews  showed  Teddy  A.  and  Wenonah, 
his  dam,  and  in  1903  showed  and  won  with  Bertha  A.,  Billy  A.,  Florence 
A.,  Molly  A.,  Peter  A.  and  Teddy  A.,  all  from  his  own  breeding. 

Present  Time   Conditions 

Although  entries  in  the  Gordon  classes  are  now  very  poor,  the  total 
in  seven  classes  at  New  York  this  year  being  but  twenty-one,  from  a  total 
of  only  ten  dogs,  yet  it  is  just  possible  that  this  very  paucity  of  entries  may 
be  of  benefit  to  the  breed.  There  is  now  no  controlling  kennel  to  deter 
the  owner  of  one  or  two  dogs  or  the  small  breeder.  The  chances  for  the 
many  are  improved  thereby,  and  we  look  for  an  increase  in  the  immediate 
future  along  the  lines  of  present  exhibitors  of  one,  two  or  three  dogs  of  good 
average  quality.  There  is  one  thing  to  be  said  regarding  Gordons  that 
cannot  be  conceded  either  in  the  case  of  English  or  Irish  setters.  They 
have  not  suffered  from  indefensible  judging,  as  did  English  setters,  nor 
from  injudicious  breeding  and  loss  of  type,  as  was  the  case  with  the  Irish 
setters.  The  Gordons  have  always  been  very  well  judged;  that  is,  type 
has  never  been  overlooked  and  there  has  been  no  field  trials  record  to  divert 
judges  from  the  plain  path  of  deciding  on  the  looks  of  the  dogs. 

At  the  present  time,  while  acknowledging  that  in  the  dog  section 
we  have  nothing  of  phenomenal  merit,  no  Turk,  nor  Beaumont,  nor  Heather 
Lad,  nor  Duke  of  Edgeworth  as  a  pattern,  they  are  mainly  sound  good 
dogs.  In  bitches  we  have  in  Florence  H.  a  beautiful  bitch  owned  by  Mr. 
F.  Howe  Jr.,  of  Lansdale,  Pa.,  and  Mr.  McColley's  Lulu  M.,  one  of  the  best 
Gordons  ever  benched,  possibly  the  best  bitch  we  have  ever  had,  and  a  setter 
we  venture  to  think  the  equal  of  any  setter  of  any  breed  now  being  shown. 
Lulu  M.  has  been  perhaps  shown  a  little  too  lusty  at  times,  but  she  is  a 
Gordon  from  tip  to  tip,  in  fact  one  of  the  few  dogs  that  it  is  very  hard  to 
find  fault  with,  in  character,  quality  or  shape.  This  year  maternal  duties 
have  kept  her  from  the  show  ring,  but  a  little  sister  of  hers  named  Dolly 
has  been  very  successful  in  the  hands  of  Ben  Lewis,  who,  failing  in  his 
efforts  to  purchase  Lulu,  sought  out  another  member  of  the  family,  for  the 
dam,  Kate,  is  not  the  kind  that  is  likely  only  to  throw  one  chance  good  one. 
To  look  at  Kate  one  understands  why  we  have  a  Lulu  M.  and  a  Dolly. 


The  cornerstone  uf  Mr.  B.  W.  An.lrewss  kennel  of  Gord.m  Setters  it  Wooilbury.  N   J 


CHAMPION    DUKE   O'^'    EDGEWORTH 
Imported  from  the  kennels  of  Mr.  Luke  Crabtree  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Vandergrift,  of  Pittsburg.     The  dog  was  beginning  to  show  age 

at  the  time  this  photograph  was  taken 


The  Gordon  Setter  213 

The  Gordon  setter  is  not  distinguishable  by  colour  alone  from  the 
English  I  and  Irish,  no  matter  what  one  may  have  read  about  resem- 
blances or  as  to  incorrect  formation  for  utility.  A  Gordon  that  resembles 
either  of  the  other  branches  of  the  setter  family  is  not  right,  nor  is  an  English 
setter  of  Gordon  formation,  nor  an  Irish  setter  with  the  heaviness  of  the 
Gordon  the  correct  thing.  The  Gordon  is  larger  and  bulkier,  is  heavier 
in  head  and  has  not  so  much  feather  as  the  English  setter.  The  quality 
of  coat  may  be  somewhat  stiffer,  but  it  does  not  want  to  look  any  different, 
except  in  being  not  so  plentiful  as  that  on  the  English  setter.  From  the 
Irish  setter  the  Gordon  differs  most  materially  in  his  stoutness  of  build; 
somewhat  in  the  texture  of  coat  but  not  much  in  the  amount  of  feather. 
There  is  also  a  marked  difference  in  the  length  of  the  stern,  which  is  not  so 
long  in  the  Gordon,  with  heavier  bone  to  start  with,  and  it  tapers  more 
quickly,  thus  adding  to  the  appearance  of  being  somewhat  short. 

The  fact  is  the  Gordon  setter  can  hardly  be  treated  seriously  as  a  dog 
for  the  gun.  We  do  not  of  course  deny  the  right  of  any  man  to  buy  a 
Gordon  setter  for  shooting  purposes,  any  more  than  his  buying  a  toy  terrier 
or  a  pug  for  killing  rats,  but  we  think  he  is  making  a  mistake  and  would 
find  it  to  his  advantage  to  get  one  of  the  other  two  breeds  of  setters,  or  a 
pointer  over  which  to  shoot,  as  he  would  buy  a  Scottish,  Irish  or  Welsh 
terrier  for  rats. 

The  Gordon  setter  has  neither  the  speed  nor  possibly  the  staying 
ability  of  the  other  breeds  and  his  colour  is  a  drawback;  even  the  dark  red 
of  the  Irish  setter  renders  him  hard  to  keep  track  of  in  our  shooting  as  com- 
pared to  a  dog  with  white  enough  about  his  coat  to  render  him  easy  to  catch 
sight  of  as  he  slips  through  the  rank  growths  which  cover  so  much  of  the 
shooting  grounds  in  this  country.  That  such  a  statement  will  draw  out  oppo- 
sition claims  is  to  be  expected,  but  we  can  point  to  the  records  and  ask 
how  many  of  the  Gordons  we  know  are  field  dogs  and  how  many  exhibitors 
are  of  the  class  that  shoot  over  their  own  dogs. 

Perhaps  we  might  have  kept  this  idea  dormant,  -but  on  looking 
through  a  portion  of  Lee's  "Modern  Dogs"  which  we  had  hitherto  over- 
looked we  came  across  the  following,  the  opening  sentence  of  which  referred 
to  some  old  strains  kept  at  Cawdor  and  Beaufort  Castles,  some  of  which 
were  tricolours:  "Although  these  old  breeds  have  been  kept  as  nearly 
pure  as  possible,  and  may  be  found  useful  in  crossing  with  the  ordinary 
English  setter,  especially  when  work  more  than  actual  beauty  is  required, 


214  The  Dog  Book 

I  do  not  see  any  great  future  before  the  black  and  tan  setter.  He  is  not 
easy  to  follow  with  the  eyes  on  the  moors,  and,  as  a  rule,  is  not  so  smart 
as  either  the  English  or  Irish  varieties,  and  I  cannot  imagine  why  even  his 
most  ardent  admirers  prefer  him  to  others,  excepting  that  a  team  of  them 
match  well." 

A  Proper  Standard  for  the  Breed 

The  supporters  of  the  breed  have  really  made  it  a  "fancy"  variety, 
with  colour  the  guide  as  it  is  in  black  and  tan  terriers,  we  therefore  hold  that 
it  is  not  proper  to  tamper  with  the  type  which  is  recognised  as  Gordon  and 
introduce  modern  ideas  as  to  alterations  in  conformation.  Men  who  want 
lighter  dogs  can  get  them  in  the  Irish  or  English  setters  and  should  not  try 
to  make  them  out  of  Gordons.  Hence  we  discard  entirely  the  standard 
framed  by  the  "American  Gordon  Club,"  which  is  supposed  still  to  do  duty, 
but  which  has  never  received  a  moment's  consideration  by  judges  of  setters, 
conversant  with  type.  It  is  somewhat  strange  that  no  dog  book  has  given 
a  full  standard,  and  the  English  club  which  supports  the  Gordon  has  con- 
tented itself  by  publishing  a  "description"  which  is  part  historical  and 
part  "points."  Taking  this  as  a  guide  and  adding  to  it  from  Stonehenge 
and  Shaw  such  points  as  are  not  described,  we  present  the  following  as  a 
proper   description  of  the   Gordon   setter: 

"Head. — Is  much  heavier  than  that  of  the  English  setter,  broad 
between  the  ears,  skull  slightly  rounded,  occiput  well  developed,  and  head 
showing  more  depth  than  in  the  English  setter;  muzzle  well  carried  out  to  a 
well-developed  nose,  showing  no  snipyness  or  pinched  appearance.  Lips 
and  flews  heavier  than  in  the  English  setter.  Eyes  dark  and  with  rather  a 
bold  look.  Ears  placed  so  as  to  show  the  formation  of  skull,  and  not  too 
heavily  feathered,  but  in  this  there  is  much  variation,  and  the  English  club 
considers  it  of  minor  importance.  Altogether  a  head  showing  strength 
without  coarseness  or  sourness  of  expression.  A  slight  showing  of  the  haw 
is   permissible. 

"Neck. — Of  strength  enough  to  be  in  keeping  with  the  head  and  of 
good  length.     A  little  throatiness  not  so  objectionable  as  in  other  breeds. 

"Shoulders  and  Body. — Upright  shoulders  are  too  frequently  seen  in  this 
breed,  and  they  give  a  short-necked  clumsy  forehand  appearance  to  the 
dog.  The  shoulders  should  therefore  have  a  good  slope,  be  devoid  of  any 
loaded  appearance,  and  the  dog  should  not  have  too  wide  a  brisket.     Chest 


MR.    BEN.    LEWIS'S   MOLLY 
A  winning  sister  to  the  justly  celebrated  Lulu  M. 


BAY  VIEW   GRACE 

A  very  successful  Gordon  Setter  at  Eastern  shows  during  the  past  two  years.    Owned  by  the  Bay  View  Kennels,  of  East  Providence,  R.  1. 


The  Gordon  Setter  215 

deep,  ribs  well  sprung,  no  slackness  in  loin  and  hind  quarters  showing  great 
strength. 

"Legs  and  Feet. — Legs  should  be  rather  heavy  in  bone,  straight  in 
front  and  with  well  let-down  elbows.  Hind  legs  well  bent,  with  strong, 
firm  action  in  moving.  Feet  absolutely  sound  and  well  feathered  between 
the  toes. 

"  Tail. — Set  on  low,  rather  short  and  tapering.  Should  not  be  carried 
above  the  horizontal  and  only  slightly  curved  at  any  time. 

"Coat  and  Colour. — The  coat  is  usually  shorter  and  stronger  in  texture 
than  in  the  English  setter,  flat  and  quite  devoid  of  curl.  A  slight  wave  is 
permissible,  but  not  desirable.  Heaviness  of  feather  is  pretty  certain  to  be 
accompanied  by  heavy  curly  ears,  and  inclination  to  curl  between  the  ears, 
and  is  therefore  not  altogether  desirable,  but  if  obtained  without  those 
objections  it  adds  to  the  finished  appearance  of  the  dog.  Colour  should  be 
pure  black  and  rich  mahogany  tan.  The  black  should  on  no  account  show 
brown  or  rusty,  but  be  dense,  jet  black.  The  markings  should  be  a  counter- 
part of  the  tan  on  the  black-and-tan  terrier.  Black  pencillings  on  the 
knuckles,  tan  carried  to  a  little  above  the  knee  of  foreleg,  with  a  sharply 
defined  edge  where  it  meets  the  black.  A  thumb  mark  is  often  seen  as  in 
the  terrier.  On  the  head  the  tan  should  not  extend  too  far  up  the  lips 
toward  the  top  of  the  muzzle,  but  about  half  way.  Under  jaw  and  throat 
tanned,  a  spot  on  each  cheek  and  above  each  eye,  and  tan  on  the  inside  of 
the  ears.  There  should  be  no  running  of  the  colours,  but  the  edges  should 
be  clear  and  well  defined.  On  the  hind  legs  the  insides  of  the  legs  should 
be  tanned,  also  the  inner  portion  of  the  breeching,  and  the  tan  shows  slightly 
down  the  front  of  the  stifle,  on  the  hind  pasterns  and  hind  feet,  which 
should  be  pencilled  like  the  forefeet. 

"General  Appearance. — The  Gordon  setter  differs  from  the  English 
setter  in  being  heavier,  and  shows  strength  in  his  make-up  more  than  speed. 
More  bulk  of  body,  rather  larger  every  way,  with  more  bone  and  substance. 
Strength  without  coarseness  is  more  particularly  the  feature  which  distin- 
guishes the  Gordon  from  other  setters." 

Scale  of  Points 

Head  and  neck 25         Legs  and  feet 15 

Neck 5         Stern  or  tail 5 

Shoulders  and  body  ....     25         Colour  and  markings ....  25 

Total 100 


CHAPTER  XI 

The  Clumber  Spaniel 

HE  Clymber  spaniel  affords  a  most  striking  illustration  of 
the  difficulty  experienced  in  tracing  the  history  of  dogs, 
when  it  comes  to  some  special  variety.  Here  is  a  breed 
said  to  have  been  kept  at  one  place,  by  one  of  the  leading 
families  of  England,  and  to  have  been  there  for  two  hundred 
years,  having  according  to  accepted  tradition  originally  been  presented  to 
one  of  the  Dukes  of  Newcastle  by  the  Due  de  Noailles. 

"Idstone"  in  "The  Dog"  (1872),  wrote  as  follows:  "They  were 
given,  Daniel  tells  us,  to  one  of  the  former  Dukes  of  Newcastle  by  the  Due 
de  Nouailles.  Vero  Shaw,  or  whoever  wrote  the  Clumber  article  for  his 
"Book  of  the  Dog,"  had  read  "Idstone"  thoroughly  and  says:  "We  learn 
on  the  authority  of  Daniel  that  the  breed  was  imported  into  this  country 
by  a  Duke  of  Newcastle,  who  acquired  them  from  the  Due  de  Nouailles 
many  years  ago."  Lee  in  his  "Modern  Dogs,"  writes:  "It  (the  intro- 
duction) was  probably  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century  when 
the  Due  de  Nouailles  presented  the  then  Duke  of  Newcastle  with  a  number 
of  spaniels,  which  in  France  had  the  reputation  of  being  better  than  any 
others,  as  they  were  steady  workers  and  easily  brought  under  command, 
i.  e.,  there  was  little  difficulty  in  training  them."  Mr.  Lee,  it  will  be  seen, 
added  materially  to  the  number  of  crows  in  the  original  story  and  rather 
mixes  things  by  immediately  saying:  "Although  in  various  parts  of  France 
many  spaniels  are  still  found  and  used  in  work,  I  have  not  been  able  to  trace 
any  kennels  of  true  Clumbers  in  that  country."  The  Clumber  article  in 
Stonehenge's  first  edition  (1867)  did  duty  up  to  and  including  his 
fourth  and  last  edition  in  1878,  and  the  Daniel  story  is  not  given,  so  that 
it  would  seem  to  have  originated  with  "Idstone." 

We  have  preserved  the  letter  "u"  in  the  name  of  the  French  nobleman 
to  show  that  each  of  these  writers  after  "Idstone"  copied  from  him.  The 
slightest  investigation  on  their  part  would  have  proved  several  things: 
first,  that  Daniel  makes  no  mention  of  Clumber  spaniels  nor  the  names 

217 


2i8  The  Dog  Book 

of  the  noblemen  referred  to;  secondly,  that  Noailles  is  the  correct  spelling 
of  the  name,  and  finally  that  the  gift  was  made  to  Henry  Clinton,  the  duke 
who  succeeded  to  the  title  in  1768.  The  gift  was  presumably  made  before 
he  attained  the  title,  for  the  Due  de  Noailles  died  in  1766.  There  was  after 
him  a  Marshal  Philipe  de  Noailles,  but  his  title  was  Due  de  Mouchy,  and  he 
was  one  of  the  victims  of  the  Reign  of  Terror.  We  find  him  mentioned 
in  a  brief  account  in  the  Sporting  Magazine  for  1793,  of  the  King  of  France 
going  shooting  at  Versailles,  "attendant  by  a  physician,  surgeon,  the  Mare- 
chal  de  Noailles  and  a  few  other  persons  of  rank." 

"Idstone"  stated  that  there  was  an  article  in  the  Sporting  Magazine  for 
the  year  1807,  and  if  he  had  only  taken  the  trouble  to  read  what  was  there 
said  he  would  have  saved  a  lot  of  speculation  and  on  the  part  of  his  followers. 
The  brief  article  in  question  accompanied  an  engraving  of  a  copy  of  part  of 
the  painting  by  Wheatly,  which  we  give  in  full.  The  part  copied  is  that 
of  the  figure  of  the  tall  man  standing  and  the  three  spaniels  in  front  of 
him.     This  is  William  Mansell,  and  the  accompanying  article  is  as  follows: 

"The  annexed  engraving  is  the  portrait  of  William  Mansell,  game- 
keeper to  His  Grace,  Henry  Clinton,  Duke  of  Newcastle,  and  taken  from 
the  picture  painted  by  F.  Wheatly,  Esq.,  R.  A.,  now  in  the  Duke's  possession, 
at  Clumber  House,  Nottinghamshire.  The  group  of  Springers,  or  Cock- 
flushers,  by  which  the  gamekeeper  is  so  tastefully  surrounded  in  the  picture, 
was  a  gift  to  Duke  Henry,  when  in  France,  from  the  Duke  de  Noailles, 
and  William  Mansell,  during  a  uniform  attention  to  the  duties  of  his  office 
(near  thirty  years),  has,  above  other  things,  studied  to  increase,  unmixed, 
this  peculiar  race  of  flushers. 

"The  Duke's  (or  Mansell's)  breed  is  still  held  in  higher  estimation 
than  any  other  of  the  spaniel  kind;  that  justly  celebrated  painter,  P.  Rei- 
nagle,  Esq.,  has  made  Mansell's  breed  of  Cock-springers  his  peculiar  study, 
and  wherever  we  trace  in  that  gentleman's  productions  the  resemblance  of 
his  favourites  we  find  them  to  possess  the  master  touch  in  the  highest  degree 
of  excellence." 

The  late  Mr.  Mercer  of  Ottawa  was  a  great  Clumber  enthusiast,  and 
had  he  been  in  England  would  probably  have  gone  to  the  bottom  of  things, 
but  he  relied  on  English  writers  when  in  1901  he  wrote  his  article  on  the 
Clumber.  He,  however,  adds  a  little  to  the  original  "Idstone"  and  says: 
"In  Daniel's  'Rural  Sports'  we  learn  that  the  immediate  ancestors,"  etc. 
As  an  illustration  of  how  an  enthusiast  will  tone  things  at  times  we  will 


This  is  the  only  good  illustration  of  the  Clumlier  Spaniel  in  the  various  editions  of  the  two  books  by  Stonehenge.  and  appears  in  the  third  edition 
of  "  Stonehenge  on  the  Dog,"  1879.     We  Icnow  of  no  drawing  which  shows  more  of  the  required  expression  and  character 


CLUMKLK  AND  SUSSEX  SPANIELS 
From  the  "  Book  of  the  Dog  " 


The  Clumber  Spaniel  219 

give  here,  though  not  quite  in  order,  another  quotation  from  Mercer.  "Colonel 
Hamilton  in  his  'Recollections,' which  are  of  shooting  incidents  in  the  early 
days  of  the  century,  writes:  *A  spaniel  known  as  the  Clumber  breed.  His 
Grace  always  shooting  over  them  in  the  woods,  is  much  sought  after  by 
sportsmen';  then  he  enumerates  their  many  excellencies."  Now  we  will  give 
the  Hamilton  facts.  It  is  true  he  did  write  of  incidents  dating  before  1800. 
He  was  not,  however,  speaking  of  the  Clumber  as  an  old  breed  dog,  but 
as  one  of  the  breeds  of  the  then  present  time.  He  wrote  in  i860.  Mr. 
Mercer  could  hardly  have  seen  the  original  or  he  would  surely  have  quoted  at 
greater  length,  for  this  is  what  Colonel  Hamilton  wrote:  "This  spaniel  is  red 
and  white,  is  larger  than  the  usual  spaniel,  strong  made,  an  intelligent  coun- 
tenance, dark  eyes  and  the  ears  not  very  long.  These  dogs  have  excellent 
noses  and  display  great  spirit  in  beating  strong  covers,  and  after  having 
been  shot  over  two  or  three  seasons,  become  very  valuable  for  pheasant 
and  cock  shooting.  They  are  naturally  ill  tempered  and  rarely  form  any 
attachment  but  to  their  master  or  gamekeeper.  I  had  one  of  this  breed 
which  I  gave  to  a  relative.  I  brought  him  up  from  a  puppy;  he  was  very 
much  attached  to  me  and  was  a  twelvemonth  old  when  I  parted  with  him. 
He  recollected  me  for  a  year  afterward,  and  was  still  very  caressing.  But 
the  second  year  he  had  forgotten  me  and  growled  when  I  went  to  pat  him. 
My  friend  told  me  he  was  the  best  dog  among  his  spaniels.  He  had  the 
shooting  over  a  thousand  acres  of  woodland,  the  greater  part  of  which  was 
particularly  strong,  from  blackthorn,  high  sedges  and  long  grass." 

Colonel  Hamilton  was  such  a  discursive  writer  that  one  does  not 
know  whether  he  has  got  all  the  facts  regarding  anything  till  he  has  read 
the  entire  book  and  pieced  statements  together,  as  we  have  done  in  the  case 
of  the  Irish  setter  he  mentions.  So  also  in  this  case  we  get  additions  to 
patch  out  with.  In  a  chapter  on  pheasant  shooting  and  suggestions  to  a 
young  sportsman  he  recommends  his  going  to  **  a  chain  of  cover  in  Oxford- 
shire known  as  the  Quarters,  and  covering  about  one  thousand  acres."  He 
describes  them  in  almost  the  same  language  as  used  above.  "They  consist 
of  three  large  woods  .  .  .  with  a  phalanx  of  blackthorn,  bramble, 
thick  underwood  and  in  some  parts  long  sedgy  grass." 

The  connecting  link  is  found  in  reading  a  further  recommendation  to 
the  young  sportsman:  "He  should  have  two  or  three  brace  of  strong 
spaniels,  like  the  Clumber  breed,  and  a  good  retriever."  There  is  then 
this  footnote :     "  I  gave  one  of  these  dogs  three  or  four  years  ago  to  a  young 


220  The  Dog  Book 

sportsman,  a  connection  of  mine,  who  was  shooting  in  the  Quarters.  He 
told  me  Dash  was  the  best  spaniel  he  had  ever  had,  that  he  fetched  his  game 
tender  mouthed,  and  that  if  any  other  dog  attempted  to  touch  it  he  instantly 
fell  on  him  and  drove  him  off.  These  dogs  are  red  and  white,  strongly 
made  in  the  chest  and  hind  quarters,  and  have  an  intelligent  countenance. 
They  are  in  general  not  good  tempered." 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Colonel  Hamilton  was  not  giving  a  beginning 
of  the  century  recollection  about  the  Clumber,  but  was  speaking  of  quite 
a  modern  dog,  so  far  as  his  knowledge  was  concerned,  so  that  Mr.  Mercer 
was  not  quite  justified  in  the  way  he  suggested  that  Colonel  Hamilton 
wrote  of  the  Clumber  of  the  "early  days  of  the  century."  But  to  Mr. 
Mercer  is  due  the  credit  of  being  the  first  to  draw  the  attention  of  dog  men 
to  Colonel  Hamilton  as  a  writer  on  the  breed. 

Dalziel,  with  all  his  Scotch  pertinacity  and  mclination  to  get  to  the  bot- 
tom of  his  subject,  could  only  suggest,  by  way  of  an  excuse  almost,  for  some- 
thing better,  that  the  Noailles  dogs  were  Bassets,  but  he  was  too  shrewd 
an  observer  not  to  disarm  criticism  by  saying  that  the  muteness  was  a  con- 
tradiction to  the  supposition  of  any  hound  cross.  He  says  that  it  is  difficult 
to  understand  how  the  great  difference  between  the  Clumber  and  the 
sprightly  cocker  came  about;  in  the  long  barrel,  short  legs  and  general 
heavy  and  inactive  appearance,  with  the  heavy  head,  large  truncated 
muzzle,  deep  eyes,  sometimes  showing  the  haw.  But  the  Clumber  is  not 
any  longer,  if  as  long,  in  proportion  to  his  height  than  the  black  field  spaniel, 
and  what  was  that  dog  twenty-five  years  ago  ?  In  the  days  of  Brush  the 
field  spaniel  was  mainly  a  large  cocker,  and  it  was  not  until  the  time  that 
Mr,  Jacobs  took  hold  of  it,  and  others  followed,  that  we  got  the  very  great 
length  that  we  still  have.  Was  there  such  a  wonderful  lot  of  difference  at 
that  time  between  the  Sussex  and  Clumber  as  to  puzzle  any  one  to  imagme 
they  both  could  not  be  genuine  spaniels  .?  Look  at  the  dual  illustration  of 
the  Sussex  and  Clumber  in  "The  Book  of  the  Dog,"  published  less  than 
thirty  years  ago,  and  which  would  be  which  if  they  were  colourless. 

The  haw  is  not  necessarily  indicative  of  hound  blood.  If  it  was  would 
we  not  have  it  in  all  hounds  ?  What  causes  it  is  the  weight  of  the  flews, 
and  in  all  breeds  with  an  extra  development  of  lip  and  loose  skin  there  is 
the  aptitude  to  have  the  lower  lid  pulled  down  from  the  eye.  We  get  it 
in  the  mastiff,  the  St.  Bernard,  the  Clumber,  the  Sussex,  and  the  Gordon 
at  times.     The  English  Spaniel  Club  now  proposes  doing  away  with  the 


The  Clumber  Spaniel  221 

haw,  by  altering  the  standard.  If  that  is  followed  out  then  there  will  be 
less  lower  lip  in  the  accepted  hawless  specimens  and  a  tendency  to  loss  of 
that  expression  and  character  which  is  so  distinctly  Clumber  in  type.  An 
exaggerated  showing  of  the  haw  and  no  haw  at  all  are  equally  incorrect. 

If  we  are  to  believe  that  the  painting  by  Wheatly  of  the  Duke  of 
Newcastle  and  his  spaniels  is  an  accurate  representation  of  the  Clumbers 
of  that  early  date  as  to  size  and  general  appearance,  then  there  is  but  one 
conclusion  to  arrive  at  and  that  is  to  attribute  the  Clumber  of  1 8 75-1 900 
to  advanced  selection  along  a  line  of  type  originally  bred  for  at  Clumber. 
The  spaniels  at  Clumber  in  the  year  1807  were  and  had  been  for  thirty 
years  under  the  care  of  William  Mansell,  and  were  then  known  as  the  Duke's 
or  Mansell's  breed,  and  most  assuredly  Mr.  Mansell  had  an  ideal  type  if 
that  was  the  case.  A  man  can  accomplish  a  great  deal  in  thirty  years  in 
altering  and  moulding  a  breed,  and  how  much  longer  Mansell  lived  we  do 
not  know.  We  need  go  no  farther  in  illustration  of  what  can  be  accom- 
plished in  making  type  by  selection  than  Boston,  with  its  "round-headed 
bull  and  terrier"  of  1890  and  the  Boston  terrier  of  to-day,  or  to  speak  more 
correctly,  of  1885  and  1895,  for  it  was  well  established  before  it  was  recog- 
nised by  the  American  Kennel  Club  in  1892. 

The  distinction  of  hunting  mute  is  also  something  quite  possible  to 
secure  by  selection,  for  the  Duke  of  Albemarle  had  large  black  and  tan 
spaniels  that  were  mute;  the  Sussex  was  very  nearly  so,  and  if  pains  had  been 
taken  to  breed  for  that  peculiarity  it  might  doubtless  have  been  established 
in  that  breed.  So  that  there  is  nothing  whatever  in  the  case  of  the  Clumber 
which  needs  any  explanation  beyond  selection  and  breeding  to  a  type 
fancied  by  those  in  charge  of  or  who  owned  the  strain. 

We  will  now  give  what  is  recorded  of  the  variety  under  its  name  of 
Clumber.  In  "The  Dog,"  written  by  Stonehenge,  probably  in  1868 — 
the  second  edition  is  dated  1872 — the  description  given  is  as  follows:  "A 
remarkably  long,  low,  and  somewhat  heavy  dog.  In  weight  he  is  from 
thirty  to  forty  pounds.  Height,  eighteen  to  twenty  inches.  The  head  is 
heavy,  wide  and  full,  the  muzzle  broad  and  square,  generally  of  a  flesh 
colour.  Nostrils  open  and  chops  full  and  somewhat  pendant.  Ears  long 
and  clothed  with  wavy  hair,  not  too  thick.  Body  very  long  and  strong, 
the  back  ribs  being  very  deep,  and  the  chest  being  very  round  and  barrel- 
like, the  ribs  at  the  same  time  being  so  widely  separated  from  each  other  as 
to  make  the  interval  between  them  and  the  hips  small  in  proportion  to  the 


222  The  Dog  Book 

great  length.  Tail  bushy,  but  not  at  all  woolly,  the  hair  being  waved  only, 
not  curled.     It  is  generally  cropped." 

From  the  weight  being  put  at  from  thirty  to  forty  pounds,  and  a  remark 
in  the  Clumber  article  in  the  first  edition  of  "The  Dogs  of  the  British 
Islands,'*  that  the  Duke's  team  shown  at  Islington  in  1863  were  rather 
small,  it  is  evident  that  the  Newcastle  dogs  had  not  progressed  in  size  as  had 
others.  In  this  article  the  weight  is  put  at  forty  to  forty-five  pounds,  and 
Stonehenge  never  made  any  change  in  the  various  editions  of  this  work, 
which  gave  him  his  world-wide  reputation.  The  dog  Lapis,  selected  by 
Dalziel  to  illustrate  his  "British  Dogs,"  weighed  sixty-two  pounds,  and  he 
was  a  Palace  winner  in  1877.  Lee  then  sets  the  weight  at  from  fifty-five 
to  sixty-five  for  dogs  and  from  forty-five  to  fifty-five  pounds  for  bitches, 
an  increase  of  twenty-five  pounds  in  as  many  years  of  our  definite  knowl- 
edge of  the  breed.  Finally  the  English  Clumber  Club  raises  the  weights  to 
seventy  for  dogs  and  sixty  for  bitches. 

One  reason  for  the  slow  progress  that  the  Clumber  made  was  that  one 
dog  was  of  little  use,  so  slow  are  they  in  their  movements,  and  it  called  for 
a  team  of  several  braces,  as  many  as  could  be  obtained,  in  fact,  to  be  of  use 
for  a  shooting  party.  This  entailed  special  training  and  looking  after 
by  a  man  who  could  handle  them,  for  they  would  not  work  for  every 
person  or  any  person.  This  was  naturally  a  drawback  to  the  ex- 
tended use  of  this  breed,  and  although  it  did  become  somewhat  spread, 
it  did  so  only  to  a  limited  extent  among  those  who  could  make  use 
of  the  dog  to  the  best  advantage,  having  coverts  suited  to  his  style  of 
work,  and  capable  handlers. 

In  America  the  Clumber  has  had  a  very  erratic  career.  In  1880  we 
remember  Mr.  Tileston's  Trimbush  and  Fairy,  the  former  being  a  very 
good  dog,  so  good  indeed  that  we  asked  Mr.  Dalziel,  who  was  one  of  the 
foreign  judges  that  year,  what  he  thought  of  the  dog,  and  he  agreed  with  us 
that  he  was  most  typical  and  fit  to  win  anywhere.  He  was  entered  as  im- 
ported and  "full  pedigree,"  a  verv  customary  way  of  giving  pedigree  at  the 
early  shows.  It  is  a  long  look  back,  but  Trimbush  was  a  dog  that  has  lingered 
in  our  memory  as  one  of  the  best  we  have  seen  in  this  country.  He  was 
shown  at  New  York  the  following  year  by  Mr.  De  Luze,  but  in  wretched 
condition,  and  got  "the  gate."  The  next  Clumber  had  rather  an  amusing 
history.  We  picked  him  up  at  the  public  stores,  where  he  had  been  left  by  the 
man  who  brought  him  over.     He  had  no  pedigree,  but  his  history  seemed 


SPANIELS 
These  bear  a  faint  resemblance  to  the  Clumber,  but  are  given  no  distinct  title.   The  illustrati.m  nppcare.l  in  Daniel's  "Kural  Sports."  1801, 

from  a  painting  bj'  H.  B.  Chalon 


LAPIS 

Mr.  W.  Arkwrig-ht's  Clumber,  used  to  illustrate  Dalziel's  ■'  British  Dogs  ' 


The  Clumber  Spaniel  223 

to  be  pretty  straight,  and  for  want  of  a  better  name  he  was  christened  Bate- 
man,  after  the  man  who  owned  him  abroad  at  one  time.  Bateman  was 
shown  in  a  class  at  New  York  for  large  spaniels  and  took  second,  but  when 
application  was  made  for  the  medal  to  be  awarded  to  the  best  Clumber  in 
the  class  it  was  not  forthcoming,  the  judge  declaring  or  specifying  that 
Bateman  was  not  a  Clumber,  and  the  medal  went  to  something  else  farther 
down  the  list.  We  then  sold  Bateman  to  Mr.  Marmaduke  Richardson, 
and  the  next  thing  was  that  the  dog  got  quite  a  piece  bitten  out  of  one  ear. 
It  was  somewhat  of  a  disfigurement,  so  that  Mr.  Richardson  had  the  ear 
rounded  and  the  other  one  shaped  to  match.  After  this  Bateman  won  several 
prizes  in  classes  for  Clumbers.  He  was  not  much  of  a  Clumber,  we 
will  admit,  but  he  was  nothing  else,  and  was  entitled  to  the  medal  as  against 
any  dog  he  beat  in  that  class  at  New  York. 

The  late  Mr.  Mercer  was  a  great  enthusiast  on  the  subject  of  Clumbers, 
and  as  the  breed  had  always  had  more  supporters  in  Canada  than  in  the 
States,  he  was  more  at  home  in  Ottawa  in  securing  his  facts.  Mr.  Mercer 
credited  Major  Venables,  who  was  stationed  at  Halifax  as  a  lieutenant  of 
the  97th  Regiment  in  1842,  with  being  the  first  importer  of  Clumbers,  he 
having  got  his  dogs  from  Mr.  Yeatman  of  Dorset,  a  prominent  breeder 
mentioned  by  "  Idstone."  Major  Venables's  Clumbers  were  the  foundation 
stock  upon  which  later  importations  were  grafted,  Mr.  Piers  of  Ottawa 
getting  some  of  their  descendants  as  well  as  Mr.  Mercer. 

While  Clumbers  flourished  in  the  Ottawa  district  under  the  rivalry 
of  Messrs.  Mercer  and  Hill  and  Messrs.  Bate  and  Geddes,  it  was  left  to 
Mr.  J.  L.  Little  to  uphold  the  breed  in  the  States,  but  he  soon  relinquished 
the  field  and  the  Canadians  had  matters  their  own  way.  From  the  Mercer 
kennel  came  Johnny,  a  seventy-pound  dog  according  to  Mr.  Mercer,  but 
a  little  under  sixty  by  others  who  weighed  him  specially.  He  won  many 
prizes,  but  his  only  positive  claim  to  being  a  Clumber  was  his  length  and  his 
colour.  In  all  else  he  was  a  very  poor  dog,  over  nineteen  inches  at  the 
shoulder,  light  all  over  and  devoid  of  Clumber  character  in  head.  The 
same  owner's  Drake  was  a  better  Clumber,  but  in  those  days  judges  knew 
less — not  much  less — about  Clumbers  than  they  do  now,  and  they  thought 
the  big  dog  must  be  the  better  one.  Newcastle  and  Tyne  were  also  winners 
sent  down  from  Canada,  not  one  a  really  good  one,  our  opinion  always  being 
that  Tyne  was  the  best  of  the  four  and  Drake  the  best  of  the  dogs.  Mr. 
Richardson  bought  Newcastle  and  Tyne. 


224  The  Dog  Book 

Poor  success  in  breeding  killed  off  the  Ottawa  kennels,  and  another 
year  or  two  of  poor  entries  ensued  before  Mr.  Little  once  more  made  another 
of  his  dashes  into  the  breed,  and  at  the  same  time  Mr.  George  R.  Preston 
took  Clumbers  up  in  a  way  that  promised  much  good  for  the  breed.  At 
New  York,  in  1895,  they  made  up  a  total  entry  of  ten,  without  any  duplicates, 
and  in  this  lot  were  such  good  ones  as  Friar  Boss  and  Glenwood  Greeting 
each  of  the  exhibitors  scoring  a  first  in  the  two  classes  provided  for  the  breed. 
In  the  following  yea'r  Mr.  Preston  had  the  field  to  himself  at  New  York  and 
won  all  four  prizes  in  the  two  classes,  his  best  being  Major  Gilfeather  and 
Glenwood  Greeting.  Mr.  Preston  had  been  much  annoyed  by  some  law 
proceedings  for  over  a  year  in  connection  with  some  of  his  dogs,  and  the 
unpleasantness  was  such  that  he  disposed  of  his  entire  kennel  of  Clumbers  to 
Mr.  Henry  Jarrett,  who  with  another  useful  addition  of  his  own  put  down 
an  excellent  team  of  four  at  the  New  York  show  of  1897,  with  which  he  not 
only  took  all  the  Clumber  class  prizes,  but  also  the  special  for  the  best  four 
spaniels,  other  than  cockers  and  this  under  Mr.  George  Raper.  Mr. 
Jarrett  then  sold  them  all  for  a  good  price,  and  once  more  the  breed  was  a 
blank  for  another  year  or  so.  It  was  not  until  1901  that  there  was  any 
apparent  revival  of  interest,  and  competition  became  somewhat  diversified 
but  still  scant.  Miss  Douglas,  who  had  been  an  occasional  exhibitor  for 
a  few  years,  still  made  her  customary  entry  at  New  York,  and  in  the  fall  of 
that  year  we  had  two  new  competitors  in  Mrs.  Robert  Stride  and  the  Nor- 
wood Kennels  of  Chestnut  Hill,  that  being  the  name  under  which  Mr.  D. 
Murray  Bohlen  shows  his  dogs.  How  much  good  the  accession  of  these 
two  exhibitors  did  the  breed  is  shown  by  the  total  list  of  winners  of  1903 
jumping  up  to  twenty  from  the  usual  five  or  six  at  which  it  had  been  standing. 
Colonel  Stride  was  now  showing  the  dogs  from  the  Agawam  Kennels,  and 
he  exhibited  six  winners  that  year,  while  Mr.  Bohlen  had  eight  with  the 
prefix  of  Norwood,  and  Maggie  of  Eaton  Park,  a  very  good  bitch  brought 
over  by  Mr.  Tilley  and  sold  to  Mr.  Bohlen  after  she  had  won  at  New  York 
from  Norwood  Harmony.  The  getting  together  of  the  Norwood  Kennels 
team  had  its  usual  effect  however,  for  when  others  could  not  beat  them  com- 
petition fell  off,  and  at  New  York  last  year  only  two  opposition  entries  of 
one  dog  each  were  made  out  of  a  total  of  thirteen  entries,  and  this  year, 
1905,  the  entire  entry  of  ten  was  made  by  the  Norwood  Kennels. 

This  is  not  a  very  encouraging  state  of  affairs,  and  the  outlook  is  no 
better,  for  the  breed  seems  to  be  even  more  of  a  fancy  one  with  us  than  the 


PREMIER    QUEEN  BEECHGROVE    BERTHA 

r«o  very  sjoofl  Clumber  hitch-s  owned  by  Tilley  Brothers,  of  Shepton  Mallet,  England 


MR.   R.    PRESroN.    JR    S    GLENWOOD   GREETING 


MR.    LUKE   CRABTREE'S   COLWYN   CLOWN 


The  Clumber  Spaniel  225 

Gordon  setter  among  sporting  dogs.  People  who  keep  them  very  naturally 
think  a  great  deal  of  them,  but  to  the  outside  public  or  the  man  looking  for 
a  breed  to  take  up  they  are  a  good  deal  of  an  educated  taste.  To  the  ordi- 
nary man  they  lack  attraction  and  cannot  compare  with  the  black  field 
spaniel,  which  in  turn  loses  to  the  active  and  taking  cocker.  For  these  rea- 
sons we  fear  the  Clumber  will  never  become  popular  or  be  taken  up  by  a 
sufficient  number  of  exhibitors  to  make  competition  interesting. 

The  standard  adopted  by  the  American  Spaniel  Club  was  one  originally 
drafted  by  Mr.  Mercer.  As  a  fellow-committeeman  in  framing  the  standard, 
we  strongly  objected  to  many  of  his  alterations  from  the  accepted  English 
standard.  Some  of  these  objections  he  acquiesced  in,  but  not  all.  To  bring 
the  matter  before  the  club  Mr.  Richardson,  the  chairman  of  the  committee, 
voted  with  Mr.  Mercer,  and  the  club  accepted  the  standard  without  dis- 
cussion. This  being  a  peculiarly  English  breed  we  held  then  and  hold  now 
that  with  the  very  few  specimens  we  have  in  this  country,  the  limited  number 
of  exhibitors  and  the  very  slight  knowledge  possessed  by  even  spaniel 
men  as  to  breed,  the  English  club's  standard  should  be  adopted  without 
question.  What  would  we  think  if  two  or  three  Englishmen  took  up 
Boston  terriers  and  set  about  making  a  standard  for  the  breed  differing 
from  ours  in  just  the  points  wherein  their  dogs  differed  from  our  standard  ? 
That  is  what  our  Spaniel  Club  did  with  the  Clumber  standard,  and  for 
that  reason  we  give  the  standard  of  the  English  club.  We  have  already 
commented  on  the  recent  alteration  regarding  the  suppression  of  the 
haw,  and  are  pleased  to  say  that  our  views  are  in  complete  harmony  with 
those  of  that  recognised  spaniel  authority  in  England,  Mr.  FarroWo  So 
much  has  been  said  in  opposition  to  this  change  that  it  would  not  be  at  all 
surprising  to  have  it  altered  and  the  prior  standard  again  govern  on  this 
point. 

The  standard  is  printed  in  a  manner  to  show  the  recent  alterations, 
the  additions  being  within  brackets.  The  only  depletion  made  was  in 
striking  out  "and  showing  haw"  in  the  description  of  the  eyes.  From  the 
defense  of  the  alteration  made  by  the  Clumber  Club  secretary  it  would  appear 
that  the  alteration  was  made  to  fit  a  condition,  and  it  is  claimed,  though 
not  apparent  how,  that  dogs  with  the  haw  showing  are  still  all  correct. 
An  exaggerated  haw  is  of  course  as  faulty  as  it  is  in  other  dogs  showing  that 
peculiarity,  but  the  haw  has  always  been  a  Clumber  characteristic  and  is 
in  keeping  with  the  thoughtful  look  of  the  dog. 


226  The  Dog  Book 

Scale  of  Points 

POSITIVE    POINTS  NEGATIVE   POINTS 

Head  and  jaw 20         Curled  ears lo 

Eyes 5              "      coat 15 

Ears 5         Bad  carriage  and  [set-on  of  tail] 15 

Neck 5         Snipy  face  [or  faulty  jaw] 20 

Body 15         Legginess 10 

Fore  legs 5         Light  eye 10 

Hind  legs 5         [Full  eye] 10 

Feet 5        [Straight  stifle] 10 

Stern 5 

Colour  of  markings 10 

Coat  and  feather 10 

General  appearance  and  type 10 

TOO 

Descriptive  Particulars 

The  words  in  brackets  are  the  additions  to  the  old  description. 

''Head. — Large,  square  and  massive,  of  medium  length,  broad  on  top,, 
with  a  decided  occiput;  heavy  brows  with  a  deep  stop;  heavy  muzzle,  with 
well-developed  flew  [and  level  jaw  and  mouth]. 

"Nose. — Square  and  flesh  coloured. 

"Eyes. — Dark  amber,  slightly  sunk,  old  look.  [Full,  light,  very 
objectionable.] 

"Ears. — Large,  vine-leaf  shaped  and  well  covered  with  straight  hair, 
and  hanging  slightly  forward,  the  feather  not  to  extend  below  the  leather. 

"Neck. — [Fairly  long],  thick  and  powerful,  and  well  feathered  under- 
neath. 

"Body. — (Including  size  and  symmetry)  long  and  heavy,  and  near  the 
ground  [with  well-sprung  ribs].  Weight  of  dogs,  about  fifty-five  to  seventy 
pounds;  bitches,  about  forty-five  to  sixty  pounds  [five  pounds  added  in 
weight]. 

^'Shoulders  and  Chest. — Strong  [sloping]  and  muscular;  chest  deep. 

"Back  and  Loin. — Back  straight,  broad  and  long;  loin  powerful,  well 
let  down  in  flank. 

"Hind  Quarters. — Very  powerful  and  well  developed. 

"Stern. — Set  low,  well  feathered,  and  carried  about  level  with  the  back. 

"Feet  and  Legs. — Feet  large  and  round,  well  covered  with  hair;  legs 
short,  straight,  thick  and  strong;  hocks  low  [stifles  well  bent  and  set  straight]^ 


A   WINNING   TEAM  OF   CLUMBERS 

Mr.  n.  Murray  Bohlens  exhibit  at  Atlantic  City,  1903.  show 


CHAMPION    MAGGIE   OF    EATON    PARK 

Up  to  the  time  of  her  death  this  Clumber  was  the  star  of  Mr.  D.  Murray  Bohlen's  Norwood  Kennels 


The  Clumber  Spaniel  227 

"Coat. — Abundant,  close,  silky  and  straight;  legs  well  feathered. 

"Colour. — Plain  white,  with  lemon  markings;  orange  permissible,  but 
not  desirable;  slight  head  markings  and  freckled  muzzle,  with  white  body 
preferred. 

"General  Appearance. — Should  be  that  of  a  long,  low,  heavy,  very 
massive  [but  active  dog],  with  a  thoughtful  expression. 


CHAPTER  XII 


The  Sussex  Spaniel 


T  is  to  be  regretted  that  we  have  to  speak  in  the  past  tense 
with  regard  to  the  Sussex  spaniel,  a  true-bred  specimen  of 
which  variety  it  would  be  as  difficult  to  find  at  the  present 
time  as  a  pure  Laverack  setter.  As  will  be  seen  by  reference 
to  the  article  on  the  Clumber  spaniel,  where  w^e  quote 
from  old  writers  of  a  century  ago,  the  Sussex  spaniel  had  then  a  w^idespread 
reputation  and  a  name.  Mr.  Fuller  of  Rosehill  paid  great  attention  to 
this  variety  and  kept  them  from  the  beginning  of  the  century  until  his  death 
in  1847.  He  lived  at  Rosehill  Hall,  and  the  name  of  Rosehill  has  always 
been  associated  with  the  breed  and  considered  a  guarantee  of  excellence 
beyond  question.  Few,  indeed,  however,  can  now  claim  the  right  to  dis- 
play Rosehill  on  their  escutcheon,  which  is  now  blazoned  with  "sable"  to 
far  too  great  an  extent,  and  the  former  sign  of  true  breeding,  the  golden 
liver  coat,  is  all  but  a  forgotten  bygone. 

When  Mr.  Fuller  died,  his  keeper  was  permitted  by  Mrs.  Fuller  to 
select  two  spaniels  from  the  kennel,  and  he  took  George  and  Romp,  the 
others,  seven  in  all,  Lee  tells  us,  being  sold.  It  is  through  the  pair  Relf 
got  that  we  trace  back  at  all  to  the  Rosehill  strain.  Of  course  there  were 
other  Sussex  spaniels  or  we  would  hardly  have  heard  of  them  as  a  variety; 
and  they  were  in  many  hands,  but  the  best  of  the  early  show  dogs  came 
mainly  from  the  Rosehill  strain.  That  this  was  not  so  in  its  entirety  is 
well  illustrated  by  a  dog  called  George  being  selected  for  Stonehenge's 
book  as  the  typical  dog  of  the  breed,  and  he  was  by  a  black  dog.  Blacks 
and  livers  were  interbred  very  much,  and  twenty  years  ago  only  a  very 
limited  few  could  lay  claim  even  to  being  "almost  pure  bred." 

One  of  the  best  of  the  dogs  of  that  period,  and  one  who  made  a  greater 
name  for  himself  than  any  Sussex  possible  to  mention,  was  Bachelor,  a 
great  winner  in  his  day  and  entitled  to  the  prefix  of  champion.  His  dam 
was  mainly  black  in  her  breeding,  and  Lee  says  she  had  water  spaniel  blood 
in  her,  but  adds  that  Bachelor  even  at  that  was  about  as  pure  Sussex  as  any- 
thing to  be  had  in  his  day. 

229 


230  The  Dog  Book 

Purely  as  a  Sussex  spaniel  Bachelor  would  have  passed  into  the  records 
with  no  more  claim  to  be  remembered  than  many  other  champions  of  his 
breed,  but  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Jacobs  of  Newton  Abbott,  Devon- 
shire, who  used  him  to  advantage  in  crossing  on  spaniels  of  various  strains, 
mainly  on  blacks,  with  the  object  of  getting  a  purer  and  deeper  black,  as 
pigeon  fanciers  cross  dun  and  black  birds  for  that  purpose.  At  that  time 
we  had  quite  a  little  correspondence  with  Mr.  Jacobs  and  he  told  us  his 
reasons  for  using  Bachelor.  He  succeeded  far  beyond  his  expectations,  but 
that  is  another  story,  and  what  he  did,  being  not  Sussex,  but  field  spaniel 
lore,  will  appear  in  that  section  of  spaniel  history.  What  Bachelor  looked 
like,  indeed  what  a  really  good  heavyweight  spaniel  should  look  like,  will 
be  seen  by  the  illustration  of  Bachelor. 

The  only  exhibitor  in  America  who  has  had  anything  in  the  Sussex 
spaniel  line  has  been  Mr.  Rowland  P.  Keasbey,  but  his  have  been  and  are 
more  liver-coloured  field  spaniels  than  Sussex,  the  peculiar  golden  shade 
being  missing.  His  Coleshill  Rufus  was  of  as  pure  Sussex  strain  as  was 
possible  to  get  probably  at  the  time  he  was  imported,  but  back  in  his  pedi- 
gree there  are  many  black  crosses.  Mr.  Keasbey  also  purchased  from  Mr. 
Newington  some  of  his  Rosehill  dogs,  he  having  about  as  pure  Sussex  as 
any,  but  the  golden  shade  is  apparently  not  to  be  retained.  What  remains 
of  the  Sussex  in  this  country  is  incorporated  as  a  colour  distinction  of  the 
field  spaniels,  being  shown  in  the  classes  for  liver-coloured  spaniels. 

In  the  Sporting  Magazine  for  July,  1807,  there  is  an  engraving  by  J. 
Scott  from  a  painting  by  Marshall  of  three  spaniels,  the  property  of  Mr.  John 
Carr,  of  Monmouthshire,  described  as  follows:  "The  one  to  the  left  is  of 
the  Sussex  breed,  the  other  the  common  cockers;  all  of  them  remarkably 
good,  but  the  Sussex-bred  one  certainly  shows  the  most  blood,  and  the  sort 
is  esteemed  by  the  best-informed  sportsmen  to  be  the  most  genuine  of  the 
spaniel  race."  The  one  to  the  left  is  a  black  and  white,  or  he  may  be  a  black- 
and-white  roan.  A  dog  of  good  substance  and  not  so  high  on  the  legs  as 
the  other  two,  which  we  take  to  be  orange  or  red  and  white,  quite  settery 
in  shape,  with  long,  rather  narrow  heads;  the  tails  of  the  centre  one,  which 
is  standing,  and  of  the  Sussex,  are  truncated. 

The  illustration  we  give  from  a  painting  by  A.  Cooper  is  referred  to  by 
"Idstone,"  who  states  that  the  sportsman  seated,  holding  the  woodcock, 
is  Sir  Edwin  Landseer  the  artist,  and  the  dog  facing  him  is  a  Sussex  spaniel. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  write  further  of  a  breed  which  practically  does 


CHAMPION    BACHELOR 
The  Sussex  Spaniel  used  to  improve  the  black  field  spaniels  as  bred  by  Mr.  T.  Jacobs 


COLESHILL   RUFUS 

The  Sussex  Spaniel  from  which  Mr.  K.  P.  Keasbey  got  many  uf  his  good  field  spaniels 


The  Sussex  Spaniels  231 

not  exist  to-day,  and  in  this  country  does  not  exist  at  all,  and  those  who 
desire  to  know  what  the  Sussex  spaniel  was  can  find  it  best  from  the  English 
Spaniel  Club's  standard,  which  is  as  follows: 

Positive  Points  Negative  Points 

Head lo  Light  eyes 5 

£yes 5  Narrow  head lo 

Nose 5  Weak  muzzle lo 

£afs ID  Curled  ears  or  set  on  high 5 

Neck 5  Curled  coat 15 

Chest  and  shoulders 5  Carriage  of  stern 5 

Back  and  back  ribs 10  Topknot 10 

Legs  and  feet 10  White  on  chest 5 

Tail 5  Colour,  too  light  or  too  dark 15 

Coat 5  Legginess  or  light  of  bone 5 

Colour 15  Shortness  of  body  or  flat  sided 5 

General  appearance 15  General  appearance — sour  or  crouching  10 


Descriptive  Particulars 

''Head. — The  skull  should  be  moderately  long,  and  also  wide,  with 
an  indentation  in  the  middle  and  a  full  stop,  brows  fairly  heavy;  occi- 
put full,  but  not  pointed,  the  whole  giving  an  appearance  of  heaviness 
without    dullness. 

''Eyes. — Hazel  colour,  fairly  large,  soft  and  languishing,  not  showing 
the  haw  overmuch. 

"Nose. — The  muzzle  should  be  about  three  inches  long,  square,  and 
the  lips  somewhat  pendulous.     The  nostrils  well  developed  and  liver  colour. 

"Ears. — ^Thick,  fairly  large  and  lobe  shaped;  set  moderately  low,  but 
relatively  not  so  low  as  in  the  black  field  spaniel;  carried  close  to  the  head 
and  furnished  w^ith  soft  wavy  hair. 

"Neck. — Is  rather  short,  strong  and  slightly  arched,  but  not  carrying 
the  head  much  above  the  level  of  the  back.  There  should  not  be  much 
throatiness  about  the  skin,  but  well-marked  frill  in  the  coat. 

"Chest  and  Shoulders. — The  chest  is  round,  especially  behind  the 
shoulders,  deep  and  wide,  giving  a  good  girth.  The  shoulders  should  be 
oblique. 

"Back  and  Back  Ribs.— The  back  and  loin  is  long  and  should  be  very 
muscular,  both  in  width  and  depth;  for  this  development  the  back  ribs 
must  be  deep.     The  whole  body  is  characterised  as  low,  long  and  level. 


232  The  Dog  Book 

''Legs  and  Feet. — The  arms  and  thighs  must  be  bony  as  well  as  muscu- 
lar, knees  and  hocks  large  and  strong,  pasterns  very  short  and  bony,  feet 
large  and  round,  and  with  short  hair  between  the  toes.  The  legs  should 
be  very  short  and  strong,  with  great  bone,  and  may  show  a  slight  bend  in 
the  forearm,  and  be  moderately  well  feathered.  The  hind  legs  should  not 
apparently  be  shorter  than  the  forelegs,  or  be  too  much  bent  at  the  hocks, 
so  as  to  give  a  settery  appearance,  which  is  so  objectionable.  The  hind 
legs  should  be  well  feathered  above  the  hocks,  but  should  not  have  much 
hair  below  that  point.  The  hocks  should  be  short  and  wide  apart.  [The 
hock  is  the  joint  itself  and  cannot  be  short.  What  is  meant  is  that  from 
the  hock  to  the  ground  should  be  short,  or  that  the  hind  pasterns  should  be 
short. — Ed.] 

"^ail. — Should  be  docked  from  five  to  seven  inches,  set  low,  and  not 
carried  above  the  level  of  the  back,  thickly  covered  with  moderately  long 
feather. 

"  Coat. — Body  coat  abundant,  flat  or  slightly  waved,  with  no  tendency 
to  curl,  moderately  well  feathered  on  legs  and  stern,  but  clean  below 
the  hocks. 

''Colour. — Rich  golden  liver;  this  is  a  certain  sign  of  the  purity  of  the 
breed,  dark  liver  or  puce  denoting  unmistakably  a  recent  cross  with  the 
black  or  other  variety  of  field  spaniel. 

"General  Appearance. — Rather  massive  and  muscular,  but  with  free 
movements  and  nice  tail  action,  denoting  a  cheerful  and  tractable  dispo- 
sition.    Weight  from  thirty-five  pounds  to  forty-five  pounds/' 


CHAPTER  XIII 

The   Field  Spaniel 

PANIELS  of  a  size  larger  than  cockers  and  intermediate 
to  the  setter  have  been  known  for  many  years.  They 
have  had  a  variety  of  names,  such  as  finders,  starters,  spring- 
ers, and  still  later  that  of  field  spaniels;  but  in  treating  of  the 
field  spaniel  of  the  present  day  it  is  not  necessary  to  go  further 
back  than  the  time  when  the  modern  type  was  established,  mainly  by  Mr. 
T.  Jacobs  in  the  early  eighties.  Prior  to  the  period  when  that  gentleman 
revolutionised  the  variety  the  heavy  spaniel  which  was  neither  Sussex 
nor  Clumber,  and  might  be  of  any  colour,  was  classed  as  a  field  spaniel 
and  was  of  no  definite  and  settled  type.  It  ran  higher  on  the  leg  and  had 
a  coat  more  inclined  to  wave  or  curl  than  had  the  dogs  introduced  by 
Mr.  Jacobs,  which  set  the  fashion  we  have  followed  ever  since.  Of  course 
we  are  speaking  entirely  of  spaniels  in  England,  for  spaniels  up  to  that 
period  were  a  motley  lot  in  this  country.  In  English  works  on  the  dog  a 
good  deal  is  said  about  the  old  Burdett,  Bullock  and  Boulton  strains,  and 
we  have  nothing  to  say  against  them  in  any  way.  Indeed,  it  is  almost 
certain  that  as  regards  usefulness  they  were  superior  to  the  present-day 
dog,  which,  with  all  his  show  qualities  in  appearance,  we  cannot  help 
concluding  is  not  much  adapted  for  use.  His  conformation  is  proof  posi- 
tive that  he  has  no  great  speed,  but  moves  like  a  Clumber  or  a  heavy 
Sussex,  and  his  vocation  is  in  heavy  coverts  at  a  moderate  pace;  a  kind  of 
shooting  very  little  followed  in  this  country. 

The  pre-Jacobites,  if  we  must  invent  a  word,  were  mainly  like  large 
cocker  spaniels  in  conformation,  and  although  we  read  in  the  older  books 
of  Stonehenge  and  writers  of  his  period  of  their  lowness  and  length,  that 
was  only  a  comparative  description.  The  prize  winners  were  lower — in 
comparison  with  length — than  the  ordinary  run  of  working  spaniels  of  that 
period,  but  we  should  call  them  too  high  on  the  leg  now.  They  also  lacked 
the  type  in  head  called  for  in  present-day  spaniels,  and  we  really  think 
were  more  spaniel-like  than  our  exaggerated  type.     We  will  take  Brush 

233 


234  The  Dog  Book 

as  an  instance.  Stonehenge  says  of  Brush  that  he  was  the  very  best  speci- 
men of  the  field  spaniel  he  had  ever  seen,  and  is  lavish  of  his  praise.  Dalziel 
does  not  mention  Brush,  giving  as  his  illustration  of  the  black  spaniel 
the  twenty-two-pound  bitch  Flirt;  but  among  the  measurements  "fur- 
nished by  their  respective  owners"  that  of  Brush  appears,  and  Mr.  Easton 
states  that  he  was  fifteen  inches  at  the  shoulder  and  thirty-eight  inches 
from  nose  to  set-on  of  tail.  We  saw  Brush  on  one  occasion,  and  we  are 
very  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  he  was  not  built  that  way  at  all.  In 
addition  to  which,  the  late  Thomas  Dawson,  who  came  from  Beverley, 
in  Yorkshire,  gave  us,  about  1883,  a  small  photo  of  Brush,  which  showed 
him  to  be,  so  far  as  build  was  concerned,  much  on  the  lines  shown  in 
Stonehenge.  That  photograph  we  have  lost,  but  we  fully  recollect  the 
immense  ringleted  ears  and  his  length  of  leg,  which  we  should  say  was 
more  fitted  for  a  dog  of  nearer  seventeen  inches.  Mr.  Dawson  was  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  the  Boulton  spaniels,  and  wrote  for  us  a  criticism 
on  spaniels  at  the  New  York  show  of  1883,  which  we  published  in  the 
American  Kennel  Register.     The  following  is   an  extract  therefrom: 

"Coat  is  more  artificial  than  natural,  as  I  do  not  care  how  good  a 
dog's  coat  is,  if  it  is  neglected  it  will  show  some  curl  on  the  shoulder  and 
on  the  thigh.  Brush  was  a  notable  example  of  this;  he  probably  was 
with  the  exception  of  being  a  trifle  leggy,  one  of  the  best  spaniels  that  ever 
was  exhibited.  Well,  when  he  was  shown  by  Dr.  Boulton,  and  afterward 
by  Mr.  Easton,  and  cared  for  by  John  Reed,  of  Beverley,  his  coat  was 
perfection.  Mr.  Easton  sold  him  for  a  long  figure  (about  $500),  and  he 
got  into  the  hands  of  amateurs  at  exhibiting,  and  the  dog  came  out  with 
curls  all  over." 

It  will  be  noticed  in  the  reproduction  of  the  Stonehenge  illustration 
that  Brush  is  built  on  lines  precisely  similar  to  the  little  eighteen-pound 
red  cocker  of  Mr.  Langdale;  indeed,  if  anything,  he  is  not  so  long  propor- 
tionately. If  Brush  was  only  fifteen  inches  at  the  shoulder  and  thirty-eight 
inches  long,  and  EndclifFe  Bishop  is  14  x  35I,  how  could  Brush  be  called 
leggy  } 

After  Brush  the  black  spaniels  were  bred  longer,  lower  and  heavier, 
but  as  is  always  the  case  when  length  is  forced,  and  shortness  of  legs  is 
insisted  upon,  nature  called  upon  the  fore  legs  to  assume  the  shape  best 
fitted  to  support  that  style  of  body,  and  crooked  fore  legs  became  notice- 
able;   but   despite  this   acknowledged   detraction  in  a  spaniel,  the   desire 


The  Field  Spaniel  235 

for  length  was  so  enforced  that  extremely  bad-fronted  dogs  figured  promi- 
nently at  English  shows  of  the  early  eighties.  We  recall  the  most  adverse 
criticisms  passed  upon  a  dog  called  Beverlac,  a  prominent  winner  scahng 
over  fifty  pounds  and  of  extreme  length. 

It  was  during  this  period  that  Mr.  Jacobs  took  up  the  breed  and 
purchased  some  of  the  then  winning  strains,  such  as  Nigger,  of  the  Bullock 
line,  and  some  of  Mr.  Lang's  bitches,  of  which  the  sisters  Smutty  and 
Negress  were  the  prime  factors  in  his  main  start.  Later  he  got  the  Sussex 
spaniels  Bachelor  (illustrated  in  the  article  on  the  Sussex  spaniel.  Part  IIL), 
and  Russet,  which  he  renamed  Ladyship,  and  we  might  say  that  with 
these  he  made  himself  and  his  strain  the  talk  of  dogdom  the  world  over. 
First  he  tried  Nigger  on  Smutty  and  Negress,  and  in  1878  got  one  fairish 
dog  called  Boss.  That  year  he  decided  to  follow  pigeon  breeders  colour- 
breeding  methods  to  bring  about  better  black,  so  he  secured  Bachelor  and 
bred  him  to  the  two  black  bitches,  and  the  result  was  eminently  successful. 
From  Smutty  he  got  Kaffir  and  Zulu,  the  latter  of  which  he  sold  to  Mr. 
Royle,  of  Manchester,  for  a  high  price. 

From  Negress  he  got  Lass  o'  Devon,  liver,  and  the  great  bitch  Squaw, 
black,  with  which  he  had  wonderful  success  both  at  stud  and  in  breeding, 
but  the  second  litter  from  Bachelor  and  Negress  was  not  nearly  so  good; 
Negro  and  Benedict,  the  latter  of  which  we  imported  in  1881,  being  the 
best.  We  do  not  know  of  any  further  breeding  from  the  bitch  Smutty. 
Mr.  Jacobs  then  proceeded  to  inbreed,  and  crossed  Zulu  on  Lass  o'  Devon 
and  got  '2.  winner  in  Ladybird,  and  the  pedigree  of  his  winners  showed 
that  he  still  believed  in  crossing  the  colours,  for  he  got  Bend  Or  from  the 
black  Kaffir  out  of  the  Sussex  Russet,  renamed  by  him  Ladyship.  Pur- 
suing this  successful  line  of  breeding,  Mr.  Jacobs  continued  to  turn  out 
good  dogs  year  after  year,  not  of  course  with  uniform  success,  but  always 
showing  dogs  capable  of  getting  in  the  prize  lists  at  the  few  important 
shows  at  which  he  exhibited  outside  of  the  local  shows  in  the  west  of  England. 
In  a  few  years  he  took  the  prefix  of  Newton  Abbot,  and  all  his  dogs  in 
later  years  were  so  distinguished.  A  good  deal  of  his  breeding  got  into 
other  kennels,  but  no  one  seemed  quite  able  to  produce  from  those  that 
came  from  Newton  Abbot  the  equals  of  Mr.  Jacobs's  turnout,  and  his  ex- 
hibiting was  continued  until  1892,  when  he  had  in  his  kennel  perhaps  the 
best  he  had  ever  had,  a  bitch  for  which  Mr.  Woolland  gave  ;^  1,250,  renam- 
ing her  Bridford  Perfection.     When  she  left  the  show  ring  it  was  with  an 


236  The  Dog  Book 

unbeaten  record.  At  that  time  Mr.  Jacobs  sold  a  bunch  of  his  dogs  for 
^7,500  and  retired  from  breeding  and  exhibiting. 

It  would  be  quite  incorrect  to  assume  that  no  others  during  this  period 
had  any  good  spaniels.  Far  from  it,  but  we  have  given  the  condensed 
record  of  what  was  accomplished  at  Newton  Abbot,  almost  as  much  by 
way  of  showing  what  one  man  can  do  when  he  hits  the  right  idea  and 
carries  it  out.  Besides  Mr.  Jacobs  there  were,  at  the  time  he  first 
became  prominent,  Mr.  Spurgin,  Mr.  Easton,  Mr.  Bowers  and  several 
others.  Mr.  Schofield  also  had  the  Bachelor  cross,  and  was  very  success- 
ful with  Salus,  and  from  her  came  Solus,  a  beautiful  black  dog  shown 
most  successfully  by  Mr.  Royle,  of  Manchester,  who  kept  a  mixed  ken- 
nel of  only  high-class  dogs.  Mr.  Marples,  now  of  Manchester,  was  a  later 
exhibitor,  and  after  showing  Midnight  and  a  few  others,  finally  got  a  really 
good  one  in  Moonstone.  Then  came  Mr.  Woolland,  Captain  Thomas, 
Mr.  Robert  Chapman  and  others  of  a  more  modern  period,  all  showing 
and  breeding  good  dogs. 

Prone  as  Americans  are  to  note  anything  new  and  striking  in  the 
English  kennel  world,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  the  very  remarkable 
success  of  the  Bachelor  litters  from  Negress  and  Smutty  would  have  its 
result  here,  and  such  proved  to  be  the  case.  Mr.  A.  H.  Moore,  then  the 
leading  exhibitor  in  this  country,  imported  one  of  the  Smutty  litter,  shown 
here  as  Dash,  which  later  on  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  Hornell 
Spaniel  Club.  To  our  own  kennel  we  imported  Benedict,  from  the  second 
Negress  litter,  and  Mr.  Kirk,  of  Toronto,  got  Toronto  Beau,  from  the 
Kaffir-Squaw  litter  of  1880.  Just  to  show  that  type  was  then  by  no  means 
established,  we  got  at  the  same  time  with  Benedict  a  cocker  spaniel  shown 
as  Beatrice,  who  was  by  Mr.  Jacobs's  first  field  spaniel  Nigger.  But  that 
was  nothing  out  of  the  way,  for,  if  one  looks  through  the  old  American 
Kennel  Register  containing  the  records  of  the  early  importations,  it  is  easy 
to  see  that  there  was  little  reliance  to  be  placed  on  the  dogs  of  that  time, 
for  we  had  as  many  cockers  from  Brush  as  we  did  spaniels  over  twenty- 
eight  pounds.  A  great  many  dogs  tracing  to  the  Bullock  and  Burdette 
strains  were  cockers  close  to  the  limit  of  weight,  and  some  well  under. 

Another  early  importation  was  Success,  a  dog  owned  by  Mr.  J.  H. 
Winslow,  now  of  Philadelphia.  This  was  a  Schofield  dog,  being  by  Bach- 
elor out  of  Salus,  and  a  winner  of  third  at  the  Crystal  Palace.  Success 
unfortunately  had   a  bad  front,  and  when  he  met   Benedict  it  was  that 


^^-    w 


1 


The  Field  Spaniel  237 

which  beat  him.  Benedict  was  never  beaten  that  we  can  now  recall,  but 
he  was  weak  in  muzzle  and  it  was  his  body  properties,  his  good  front  and 
his  beautiful  coat  that  put  him  before  his  opponents.  Moore's  Dash  was 
better  in  head  when  they  met  at  New  York  in  1881,  but  nowhere  else. 
None  of  these  dogs  did  any  good  for  the  breed,  however,  for  there  was 
nothing  to  mate  them  with  except  the  cocker  spaniels,  and  there  was  no 
sound  foundation  in  their  breeding. 

What  interfered  at  that  time,  and  has  always  interfered,  with  the 
popularity  of  the  field  spaniel  was  the  preference  for  the  cocker,  which 
was  then  entering  upon  the  Obo  regime.  The  shooting  man  has  never 
found  much  use  for  the  field  spaniel,  and  he  who  simply  wants  a  dog  suited 
to  his  uneducated  taste  for  fancy  points  will  in  the  vast  majority  of  cases 
prefer  the  cocker  to  any  other  variety  of  spaniel.  Just  as  the  fancy  for 
the  breed  seemed  dying  out,  Mr.  E.  M.  Oldham  took  hold  of  it,  and  by 
judicious  importations  improved  the  classes  very  much.  Many  of  these 
came  from  the  Newton  Abbot  kennels,  and  he  had  so  many  of  them  that 
he  subsequently  took  the  name  and  still  uses  it  as  his  prefix.  What  in 
his  opinion  was  the  best  of  the  many  good  dogs  he  owned  we  never  asked, 
but  ours  is  that  Glencairn,  not  from  the  Jacobs  kennel,  was  the  one  with 
the  greater  claim  to  that  position.  Not  alone  was  he  good  individually, 
but  the  few  opportunities  he  had  to  be  bred  from  (only  two,  we  believe, 
owing  to  his  untimely  death),  showed  more  good  puppies  than  was  the 
case  from  any  dog  of  the  time,  or  possibly  any  field  spaniel  we  have  ever 
had.  He  was  much  inbred,  being  by  a  dog  called  Bracken,  by  Solus  out 
of  Beverley  Bess,  by  Beau  out  of  Nell;  Solus  by  Bachelor  out  of  Salus. 
His  dam  was  Belle,  a  full  sister  to  Bracken.  We  do  not  consider  the  photo- 
graph of  Glencairn  a  good  one,  and  it  does  the  dog  no  credit. 

Mr.  Oldham  then  associated  himself  with  Mr.  Willey,  who  was  more 
intimately  connected  with  cockers  at  that  time,  and  the  partnership  was 
productive  of  good  results  during  the  brief  time  it  lasted.  Mr.  W.  T. 
Payne,  also  a  cocker  man,  interested  himself  in  field  spaniels  to  a  slight 
extent,  and  perhaps  there  was  no  time  when  competition  was  better  than 
about  1890.  In  that  year  at  New  York  the  spaniel  entry  was  four  Irish 
water  spaniels,  eight  Clumbers,  twenty-one  field  spaniels  and  eighty-seven 
cocker  spaniels.  We  are  speaking  of  actual  dogs,  and  this  total  of  120 
dogs  were  shown  in  nineteen  classes,  an  average  of  six  and  a  third  per 
class.     This  year,    1905,  the   record  showed  two   Irish,  seven  Clumber, 


238  The  Dog  Book 

twenty  field  and  107  cocker  spaniels,  a  total  of  135  dogs  in  twenty-nimi 
classes.  Duplicate  entries,  not  in  vogue  in  1890,  raised  the  total  entry  in 
spaniels  to  a  paying  basis  this  year,  but  it  will  be  seen  that  the  large  spanieis 
have  by  no  means  increased  in  number  in  keeping  with  the  cockers. 

The  entry  at  New  York  in  1890  shows  upon  what  lines  we  were  e^  en 
then  breeding  field  spaniels  and  the  close  connection  they  had  with  cockers. 
The  challenge  dog  class  had  two  of  Mr.  Willey's  imported  Newton  Abbots, 
Don  and  Laddie,  both  field-spaniel  bred,  and  Black  Prince,  Mr.  A.  C. 
Wilmerding's  well-known  winner,  by  Benedict  out  of  a  Canadian-bred 
cocker  bitch  named  Madcap.  There  was  no  entry  in  challenge  bitches, 
but  in  open  dogs,  black,  there  was  a  new  dog  named  Baron  imported  by 
Mr.  G.  W.  Folsom,  from  Mr.  Spurgin's  kennel.  This  was  a  beautiful 
quality  dog,  and  he  won  easily  from  Bolus,  a  dog  of  whose  breeding  we  can 
say  nothing.  In  the  class  for  black  bitches  were  three  bred  by  Mr.  D.  S. 
Hammond,  and  by  Newton  Abbot  Darkie  out  of  Bertie,  a  bitch  of  mixed 
cocker  breeding.  Two  others  were  shown  in  this  class,  one  by  the  cocker 
Young  Obo,  out  of  a  Jacobs  field  spaniel  bitch,  and  the  other  of  cocker 
breeding  on  both  sides.  In  the  open  class  for  liver-coloured  spaniels 
Mr.  Payne  won  with  his  imported  Newton  Abbot  Skipper;  second  going 
to  a  brother  of  Bolus,  already  mentioned,  and  third  to  a  Canadian  of  cocker 
breeding.  Two  black  and  tans  were  in  front  in  the  next  class,  by  Glen- 
cairn  out  of  Lady  Abbot,  and  therefore  straight  bred.  Third  to  Adonis, 
by  the  cocker  Hornell  Mikado.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  the  native  field 
spaniels  were  still  being  bred  very  much  as  they  had  been  in  England  ten 
to  fifteen  years  before. 

But  while  use  was  being  made  of  cockers  in  this  manner,  the  same 
breeding  was  not  at  all  useful  in  the  cocker  classes,  for  the  only  two  so  bred, 
shown  by  Mr.  Willey,  gained  only  commendations.  We  believe  we  are 
correct  in  saying  that  the  reason  this  breeder  resorted  to  the  field-spaniel 
blcod  was  because  he  was  even  at  that  early  date  aware  that  the  cockers 
were  becoming  smaller,  and  he  endeavoured  by  the  field-spaniel  cross  to 
keep  up  their  size.  But  he  told  us  that  he  did  not  like  it,  and  what  else 
he  might  have  done  in  the  same  direction  was  put  a  stop  to  by  his  soon 
afterward  having  to  give  up  in  a  great  measure  his  breeding  operations. 

With  the  dropping  out  of  Mr.  Jacobs  and  the  increasing  prominence 
of  Mr.  Woolland's  kennel  in  England,  we  naturally  find  a  similar  shift  on 
the  part  of  American  buyers.     Mr.  Kirk  secured  Bridford  Ruby,  a  bitch 


TORONTO   F.KAU 
Imported  by  tlie  late  Mr.  J.  F.  Kirk,  of  Toronto,  from  Mr.  Jacobs's  Newton  Abbot  Kennels 


m 


■■-  ■  "'^'^ 


A   JACOBS  PUPPY 
This  photograph  was  received  many  years  ago  from  Mr.  Jacobs,  and  was  of  one  of  his  best  puppies  of  the  second  generation  breeding 


The  Field  Spaniel  239 

that  Mr.  Payne  got  in  1888;  Mr.  Laidlaw  had  Bridford  Gladys;  Mr.  R.  P. 
Keasbey  had  Lady,  an  imported  daughter  of  Bridford  Ruby,  all  bred  by 
Mr.  Woolland;  and  all  were  at  the  New  York  show  of  1891.  Here  also 
Mr.  Keasbey,  who  now  ranks  as  our  oldest  field-spaniel  exhibitor,  had 
Beverley  Negus,  one  of  the  old  Yorkshire  sort  that  Mr.  Easton  bred,  also 
the  bitch  called  Saybrook  Lass,  another  of  the  same  kind.  This  was 
Mr.  Kirk's  last  time  of  exhibiting,  and  he  sold  Bridford  Ruby  to  Mr.  Keas- 
bey, who  with  her  and  Beverley  Negus  won  both  challenge  classes  at  New 
York  in  1902,  at  which  show  a  remarkably  good  black  named  Judex  came 
out.  This  was  a  son  of  Glencairn,  and  we  do  not  think  we  are  far  wrong 
in  saying  that  he  has  to  be  considered  seriously  when  guessing  at  which 
might  be  the  best  American-bred  field  spaniel  we  have  had.  He  won  his  first 
in  the  open  class  from  another  Glencairn  named  Echo,  who  was  out  of  a 
very  good  bitch  named  Ace  of  Spades,  one  of  the  Newton  Abbot  Darkie- 
Bercie  litter,  bred  by  Mr.  D.  S.  Hammond.  Ace  of  Spades  won  in  her 
class  at  this  same  show,  and  was  followed  by  her  daughter  Dame  Trot,  a 
sister  to  Echo. 

Spaniels  at  New  York  in  1893  were  judged  by  Mr.  Oldham,  and  as 
we  consider  him  one  of,  if  not  the  best  and  most  reliable  of  field-spaniel 
judges,  we  will  give  more  particular  attention  to  his  placing,  as  a  guide 
to  how  the  dogs  of  that  time  ranked.  Mr.  Keasbey  had  in  1892  shown 
Mr.  Kirk's  Schofield  dog  Beau  at  New  York  and  at  other  shows,  and  now 
had  him  in  the  challenge  class  opposing  his  old  dog  Beverley  Negus,  who 
won.  Bridford  Ruby  had  no  opposition  in  her  challenge  class,  but  Mr. 
Oldham  expressed  his  opinion  of  her  by  giving  her  the  cup  he  oflFered  for 
the  best  bitch.  In  the  open  black  dog  class  Judex  won,  beating  Warwick, 
Echo,  Beau,  Compton  Brigand  and  Bolus.  Warwick  and  Echo  were  both 
bred  by  Dr.  Bradbury,  out  of  Patti  by  that  good  dog  Baron,  mentioned 
as  having  won  so  easily  in  1890  from  Bolus,  who  was  last  of  the  lot  in  the 
present  class.  Baron  was  also  an  untimely  loss,  judging  from  this  one 
litter  of  his.  In  the  open  black  bitch  class  Ace  of  Spades  won  from  her 
daughter  Dame  Trot,  with  a  half-bred  cocker  named  Rosedale  Bess  third. 
This  bitch  was  bred  by  Mr.  Kirk  out  of  Bridford  Ruby  and  by  Bob  Obo, 
and  was  one  of  the  lot  bought  by  Mr.  Keasbey.  Fourth  went  to  another 
half-bred  cocker  named  Dainty,  bred  in  Canada.  In  the  class  for  liver- 
coloured  spaniels  another  half-bred  Canadian  named  Queen  was  the 
winner  from  three  of  the  Baron-Patti  litter.     We  do  not  remember  Queen. 


240  The  Dog  Book 

She  was  bred  by  Mr.  Spracklin,  and  her  sire  was  Bob  Jr.  by  Bob  III.  out 
of  Black  Bess.  Her  dam  Muggins  was  by  Brahmin  out  of  Gipsy,  by 
Rollo  out  of  Judy.  Black  Bess  was  Dr.  Niven's  cocker  celebrity  by  the 
English  dog  Brush  out  of  Dr.  Boulton's.  great  cocker  bitch  Rhea.  Bob  III. 
was  a  leggy  fellow  we  got  from  "Billy"  Graham,  of  Belfast,  and  a  dog 
that  lives  in  our  memory  as  the  worst  spaniel  to  fight  we  ever  had.  After 
much  consideration  we  decided  to  stretch  the  bonds  of  friendship  with 
the  most  amiable  friend  we  had,  Dr.  Niven,  so  Bob  III.  went  to  London, 
Ont.,  and,  mated  with  Black  Bess,  got  some  very  useful  spaniels,  such  as 
Doctor  and  this  Bob  Jr.  Graham  visited  New  York  a  year  or  so  after  the 
arrival  of  Bob  III.,  and  we  asked  him  what  prompted  him  to  send  such  a 
fighting  spaniel.  When  Billy  could  not  answer  he  usually  asked  a  question, 
so  in  this  case  he  wanted  to  know  if  we  had  ever  seen  him  fight  a  red  dog, 
and  then  came  the  story: 

"I  had  him  at  my  place  before  I  sent  him  out  to  you,  and  he  was  the 
divil  to  fight,  and  I  got  tired  of  it.  One  day  I  thought  I  would  stop  him, 
so  I  slipped  three  of  the  hardest  of  my  terriers  (Irish)  out  of  their  kennels, 
and  then  I  helped  them  a  bit  with  my  stick.  The  divil  a  red  dog  would 
Bob  touch  after  that,  and  he  went  out  for  his  daily  run  with  the  rest  of 
them  till  I  sent  him  to  you." 

Mr.  Keasbey  took  another  first  with  the  black  and  tan  Newton  Abbot 
Farmer,  a  dog  of  many  owners  in  this  country.  Judex  was  given  the 
special  for  the  best  field  spaniel,  which  is  in  keeping  with  what  we  have 
just  written  as  to  his  merits  as  the  best  American  bred,  written  purely 
from  recollection  of  the  dog  and  prior  to  noting  this  good  win. 

The  year  1894  was  not  particularly  noticeable  in  field  spaniels.  A 
new  dog  called  Staley  Baron  was  brought  over  by  Toon  and  Thomas — a 
particularly  lengthy  dog,  but  one  we  never  took  a  liking  to.  His  first  test 
against  a  good  dog  was  in  1895  at  New  York,  when  he  was  beaten  by  Royd 
Monarch.  Mr.  Marcel  A.  Viti  also  made  a  first  appearance  in  a  very 
modest  way  as  the  owner  of  a  black  bitch  named  Gossip,  bred  in  Canada 
by  Mr.  Laidlaw,  and  out  of  his  Woolland  bitch  Bridford  Gladys.  Gossip's 
sire  was  Muggins,  who  was  by  the  cocker  Black  Pete  II.  out  of  Queen, 
the  winning  New  York  bitch  just  referred  to,  who  was  by  a  son  of  Bob  III., 
the  fighting  spaniel.     Gossip  proved  a  very  useful  purchase  for  Mr.  Viti. 

The  following  year  brought  about  some  changes.  Mr.  George  R. 
Preston,  Jr.,  who  had  for  a  year  or  more  been  showing  Clumbers  with 


GLENCAIRN 
Imported  and  owned  by  Mr.  E.  M.  Ululiaiii.     His  promising  career  as  a  sire  was  ended  by  his  early  death 


NEWTON   ABBOT  DARKIE 

Probably  the  best  of  all  the  imported  Jacobs  spaniels.     Owned  by  Mr.  E.  M.  Oldham 


The  Field  Spaniel  241 

success,  imported  Royd  Monarch  and  won  the  special  for  the  best  field 
spaniel.  It  cannot  be  said  that  the  quality  of  the  spaniels  shown  this  year 
was  equal  to  what  it  had  been  a  short  time  prior.  Royd  Monarch  was 
in  our  opinion  not  the  equal  of  Judex,  or  his  sire  Glencairn  and  one  or 
two  others  that  might  be  named;  but  when  it  comes  to  a  question  of  the 
best  sire  it  is  a  different  story,  for  there  Royd  Monarch  is  an  easy  winner. 
Miss  Anabel  Green  was  then  an  exhibitor,  as  she  is  still  as  Mrs.  Evans, 
and  in  addition  to  field  spaniels  she  was  also  interested  in  Irish  water 
spaniels.  Another  welcome  addition  about  this  time  was  Mr.  C.  T.  Mead, 
of  Toronto,  his  best  being  the  bitch  Woolton  Dagmar,  which,  like  most 
of  his  winners,  was  imported. 

Royd  Monarch  passed  into  the  kennels  of  Mr.  Viti,  and  at  New  York 
in  1898  he  suffered  defeat  from  Woolton  Baron,  who,  notwithstanding  his 
having  won  at  New  York  in  1897,  was  priced  at  ;^50,  which  was  just  half 
the  price  asked  by  Mr.  Mead  for  his  Woolton  Wonder,  placed  fourth  to 
Baron.  A  very  faithful  servant  to  a  good  owner  made  his  appearance 
in  this  same  show,  Mr.  Keasbey's  now  well-known  Saybrook  Popcorn,  a 
good  all-round  dog  that  has  kept  on  improving  in  character  and  has  had  a 
deservedly  successful  career.  He  is  a  son  of  the  Sussex  spaniel  Coleshill 
Rufus,  imported  by  the  Hempstead  Farm  and  bought  from  that  kennel  by 
Mr.  Keasbey  in  1894.  Although  Popcorn  might  be  shown  in  a  class  for 
Sussex  on  account  of  his  being  a  liver  dog,  yet  he  is  hardly  of  that  variety, 
for  his  dam  was  black  and  tan,  and  by  that  good  English  dog  the  black 
Moonstone,  while  the  rest  of  her  breeding  seems  to  be  mainly  black  blood. 
He  is  certainly  a  well-bred  dog,  and  at  the  present  time  ranks  as  one  of  the 
successful  sires  of  the  large-spaniel  fancy. 

A  decided  impetus  was  given  to  field  spaniels  when  the  Swiss  Mountain 
Kennels,  of  Germantown,  long  and  favourably  known  in  connection  with 
cocker  spaniels  as  well  as  St.  Bernards,  got  together  a  very  strong  kennel. 
At  the  head  was  EndclifFe  Bishop,  a  dog  imported  by  Mr.  George  Thomas, 
as  the  prefix  implies.  With  this  dog  were  several  very  good  bitches,  the 
best  being  a  black  named  Wansbeck  Chloe  and  a  black  and  tan  named 
Banner  Hazel.  Endcliffe  Bishop  we  consider  very  close  to  being  the  best 
field  spaniel  we  have  ever  had,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he  has  some- 
times been  defeated  for  specials.  In  his  class  he  has  never  won  anything 
but  first.  He  has  the  correct  head  with  well-placed  ears;  is  long  in  the 
body  without  the  least  slackness;   is  especially  good  in  front,  and  his  coat 


242  The  Dog  Book 

is  of  good  substance.  A  dog  so  nearly  perfect  as  is  Endcliffe  Bishop  is 
very  seldom  seen,  and  on  that  account  he  has  sometimes  missed  what  was 
his  due  when  competing  for  mixed  specials.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  he 
has  produced  no  successor,  but  it  is  doubtful  if  he  has  done  much  stud 
service,  for  Messrs.  Keasbey,  Viti  and  Mead,  as  also  Mrs.  Evans,  have  all 
taken  to  home  breeding,  while  the  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels  did  little  of  it. 

Mr.  Viti  also  strengthened  his  kennel  by  the  addition  of  Bridford 
Morda  from  Mr.  WooUand's  kennel.  Morda  excelled  in  length  and  body, 
but  though  she  had  a  well-modelled  head,  it  did  not  strike  us  as  being  large 
enough  to  correspond  with  her  body.  That  she  won  with  considerable 
ease  in  1890  at  New  York  is  very  certain,  but  when  she  again  got  the  high 
honours  in  1901  over  Princess  Correzina,  a  new  importation  by  the  Swiss 
Mountain  Kennels,  there  was  quite  a  difference  of  opinion,  both  being  very 
good  bitches.  Mr.  Viti  also  showed  two  good  ones  in  Wealdstone  Field 
Marshal  and  Wealdstone  Morda,  both  by  his  Royd  Monarch  out  of  Bridford 
Morda,  the  former  taking  reserve  in  winners  to  Endcliffe  Bishop,  and  the 
latter  taking  second  to  Princess  Correzina  in  novice  class.  At  the  con- 
clusion of  this  show  Mrs.  D.  P.  Evans  purchased  the  best  in  the  kennel 
of  Mr.  Mead,  of  Toronto,  materially  strengthening  her  collection  in  the 
way  of  breeding  stock. 

Even  the  most  ardent  supporters  of  field  spaniels  have  found  little 
cause  for  congratulation  on  the  displays  made  since  1902  at  even  the  best 
shows.  At  New  York  that  year  the  entry  was  lamentably  small,  and  that 
under  such  an  experienced  exhibitor  as  Mr.  George  Douglas,  who  had  at 
last  been  prevailed  upon  to  judge.  His  nine  classes  yielded  only  a  total 
of  twenty-two  entries,  and  three  of  these  were  absentees.  Wealdstone 
Madge,  a  Woolland  bitch  which  Mr.  Viti  had  imported  for  the  Philadelphia 
show  of  the  preceding  November — where  she  won — took  first  in  whinners. 
A  very  high-quality  bitch  in  every  way  and  deserving  of  her  honours.  Last 
year,  under  Dr.  Bradbury,  there  was  no  improvement,  as  eleven  of  the 
twenty-one  entries  were  made  by  Mr.  Keasbey.  Of  course  this  lack  of 
competition  had  the  natural  result  of  drawing  the  attention  of  owners  to 
the  possibility  of  winning,  and  there  was  a  little  improvement  at  New  York 
this  year.  Mrs.  Clemont  B.  Newbold  filled  the  vacancy  from  Philadelphia 
made  by  the  retiring  of  the  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels;  and  Mrs.  Evans 
was  still  an  exhibitor  and  promises  to  remain  so,  though  she  has  also  a 
few  Scottish  terriers.     The  upholding  of  the  breed  is  now,  however,  depend- 


The  Field  Spaniel  243 

ent  upon  the  support  of  Mr.  Keasbey  and  Mr.  Viti,  who  made  fourteen 
of  the  twenty-six  entries,  the  other  than  black  classes  depending  almost 
entirely  upon  the  support  of  the  former  with  his  home-bred  Saybrook 
Popcorn  and  his  progeny.  It  would  seem  to  be  the  urgent  duty  of  the 
Spaniel  Club  to  use  every  effort  to  increase  the  interest  in  three  at  least 
of  the  spaniel  breeds,  Clumber,  field  and  Irish  water  spaniel,  each  of  which 
is  urgently  in  need  of  better  support. 

The  black  field  spaniel  when  w^ell  shown  is  certainly  a  very  handsome 
dog,  with  his  highly  polished  coat,  but  that  is  not  the  only  colour,  and  there 
are  varieties  other  than  the  liver  and  black  and  tan  which  should  be  exploited. 
The  roans  are  more  or  less  attractive,  as  much  so  certainly  as  the  livers 
and  black  and  tans,  and  there  are  various  particolours.  We  remember 
seeing  at  Mr.  Robert  Chapman's  famed  Glenboig  Kennels  a  number  of 
white  and  black  field  spaniels,  a  most  handsome  variety  which  we  regret 
has  not  been  introduced  here.  These  w^ere  not  blacks  with  a  little  white 
other  than  on  chest,  but  white  with  black  markings  similar  to  a  well-marked 
particolour  cocker  or  black  and  white  setter  or  pointer.  Then  we  have 
seen  tricolours,  though  they  are  scarce.  We  remember  getting  a  brace  of 
puppies  from  Mr.  Jacobs  many  years  ago.  Most  unfortunately,  they 
reached  the  steamer  at  Liverpool  with  incipient  distemper,  and  although 
they  arrived  at  New  York  in  fair  strength,  they  never  fully  rallied.  The 
dog  was  a  particularly  good  one,  and  would,  had  he  lived,  have  made  a 
sensation  on  account  of  his  very  handsome  markings  as  well  as  his  good 
head  and  character.  Our  recollection  is  that  they  were  bred  from  a  cocker 
bitch,  but  by  what  dog  we  cannot  now  say.  A  cross  of  the  Welsh  spaniel 
might  produce  good  field  spaniels  with  the  Welsh  red  and  white  markings. 
Some  amendment  of  the  classification  along  the  line  of  putting  blacks  and 
livers  together  and  catering  to  other  colours  by  special  conditioned  classes 
might  bring  about  the  necessary  interest  to  increase  the  number  of  exhib- 
itors and  thereby  the  entries. 

Of  some  of  these  colour  varieties  we  pick  up  notes  in  many  of  the 
works  devoted  to  shooting,  as  well  as  books  more  particularly  connected 
with  dogs.  Jesse  wrote  as  early  as  1846  regarding  the  variety  kept  by 
the  Earl  of  Albemarle:  "They  are  black  and  tan,  of  a  large  size,  with 
long  ears,  and  very  much  feathered  about  the  legs.  They  are  excellent 
retrievers,  and  those  who  have  seen  will  not  soon  forget  Mr.  Landseer's 
charming  picture  of  Lord  Albemarle's  celebrated  dog  Chancellor  and  one 


244  The  Dog  Book 

of  his  progeny,  holding  a  dead  rabbit  between  them,  as  if  equally  eager 
to  bring  it  to  their  amiable  master.  These  dogs,  like  those  of  the  Clumber 
breed,  hunt  mute,  and  seldom  range  out  of  shot."  Youatt  claims  that 
the  Duke  of  Norfolk's  breed  was  a  large  black-and-tan  variety,  and  makes 
the  absurd  statement  that  to  get  the  colour  he  used  the  black-and-tan 
terrier.  Youatt  was  wrong  as  to  the  Duke  of  Norfolk's  breed  being  large, 
for  they  were  King  Charles  spaniels  of  the  old  type,  and  possibly  used 
afield,  as  were  the  Blenheims  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough. 

Credit  must  certainly  be  given  breeders  for  their  noticeable  success 
in  improving  the  fronts  of  these — we  think  we  are  right  in  saying — naturally 
crooked-legged  dogs.  The  great  objection  of  our  judges  to  crooked 
fore  legs  has  of  course  caused  breeders  to  take  special  pains  to  secure  improve- 
ment in  this  respect,  and  that  they  have  met  with  success,  to  the  extent 
that  they  have,  in  a  fight  against  the  call  of  nature  as  evidenced  in  all  dogs 
of  length  and  with  short  legs,  is  deserving  of  much  credit. 

The  illustrations,  together  with  the  text  of  the  standard,  render  it 
unnecessary  to  go  into  any  special  description  of  the  field  spaniel,  all  colours 
calling  for  like  conformation.  We  give  the  standard  as  adopted  by  the 
American  Spaniel  Club. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

General  Appearance. — Considerably  larger,  heavier  and  stronger  in 
build  than  the  cocker,  the  modern  springer  is  more  active  and  animated 
than  the  Clumber,  and  has  little  of  the  sober  sedateness  characteristic  of 
the  latter.  He  should  exhibit  courage  and  determination  in  his  carriage 
and  action  as  well  as  liveliness  of  temperament,  though  not  in  this  respect 
to  the  same  restless  degree  generally  possessed  by  the  cocker.  His  con- 
formation should  be  long  and  low,  more  so  than  the  cocker. 

Intelligence,  obedience  and  good  nature  should  be  strongly  evident. 
The  colours  most  preferred  are  solid  black  or  liver,  but  liver  and  white, 
black  and  white,  black  and  tan,  orange,  and  orange  and  white  are  all 
legitimate  spaniel  colours. 

Head  (value  15). — Long  and  not  too  wide,  elegant  and  shapely,  and 
carried  gracefully;  skull  showing  clearly  cut  brows,  but  without  a  very 
pronounced  stop;  occiput  distinct  and  rising  considerably  above  the  set-on 
of  the  ears;  muzzle  long  with  well-developed  nose,  not  too  thick  immediately 
in  front  of  the  eye  and  maintaining  nearly  the  same  breadth  to  the  point; 


CHAMPION 
SCANDAL 


CHAMPION  TOBY 

BRIDFORD  MORDA 

A  strong  team  from  Mr.  Viti's  kennels 


CHAMPION  ROYD 
MONARCH 


MOSTON  MOONSTONE 

Property  of  Mr.  I-nke  Craltree.  of  Moston.  F.nglanil 


CHAMPION    ROYD    MONARCH 
?roptrty  of  Mr.  M.  A.  Viti,  of  Hhiladelpliia.    A  prominent  winner  and  successful  sire 


The  Field  Spaniel  245 

sufficient  flew  to  give  a  certain  squareness  to  the  muzzle  and  avoid  snipiness 
or  wedginess  of  face;  teeth  sound  and  regular;  eyes  intelligent  in  expression 
and  dark,  not  showing  the  haw,  nor  so  large  as  to  be  prominent  or  goggle 
eyed. 

Ears  (value  lo). — Should  be  long  and  hung  low  on  the  skull,  lobe 
shaped  and  covered  with  straight  or  slightly  wavy  silky  feather. 

Neck  (value  5). — Long,  graceful  and  free  from  throatiness,  tapering 
toward  the  head,  not  too  thick  but  strongly  set  into  shoulders  and  brisket. 

Shoulders  and  Arms  (value  10). — ^The  shoulder  blades  should  lie 
obliquely  and  with  sufficient  looseness  of  attachment  to  give  freedom  to 
the  forearms,  which  should  be  well  let  down. 

Legs  and  Feet  (value  15). — The  fore  legs  should  be  straight,  very 
strong  and  short;  hind  legs  should  be  well  bent  at  the  stifle  joint  with  plenty 
of  muscular  power.  Feet  should  be  of  good  size,  with  thick,  well-developed 
pads,  not  flat  or  spreading. 

Body  and  Quarters  (value  20). — Long  with  well-sprung  ribs;  strong, 
slightly  arching  loins,  well  coupled  to  the  quarters,  which  may  droop  slightly 
toward  the  stern. 

Coat  and  Feather  (value  15). — The  coat  should  be  as  straight  and 
flat  as  possible,  silky  in  texture,  of  sufficient  denseness  to  affx)rd  good  pro- 
tection to  the  skin  in  thorny  coverts,  and  moderately  long.  The  feather 
should  be  long  and  ample,  straight  or  very  slightly  wavy,  heavily  fringing 
the  ears,  back  of  fore  legs,  between  the  toes,  and  on  back  quarters. 

Tail  (value  10). — Should  be  strong  and  carried  not  higher  than  the 
level  of  the  back. 

Scale  of  Points 

Head 15  Body  and  Quarters 20 

Ears 10  Coat  and  Feather 15 

Neck 5  Tail 10 

Shoulders  and  Arms  ....  10                                                      

Legs  and  Feet 15              Total 100 


CHAPTER  XIV 
The  Cocker  Spaniel 


T  the  head  of  all  varieties  of  spaniels  in  America,  so  far  as 
popularity  is  concerned,  stands  the  bright,  attractive  cocker 
spaniel.  His  admirers  are  far  too  numerous  to  admit  of 
our  considering  the  cocker  as  entirely  used  for  field  sports, 
for  not  one  in  ten,  we  may  say  one  in  fifty,  of  the  owners  of 
cocker  spaniels  is  a  shooting  man  or  uses  the  spaniel  in  its  special  line  as 
a  field  dog.  The  cocker  is  the  smallest  of  the  four  "Er's"  of  gun  sports, 
the  pointer,  setter,  springer,  cocker,  being  the  order  in  the  way  of  size.  In 
old  books  we  come  across  the  name  in  its  variety  of  cocking  spaniel,  the 
derivation  being  the  use  the  small  spaniel  was  put  to.  We  are  inclined 
to  the  opinion  that  the  term  cocker  had  originally  little  reference  to  size, 
although  the  smaller  dogs  were  more  likely  to  be  kept  for  cock  shooting, 
from  which  use  the  name  arose.  In  books  issued  since  1775  the  terms 
springer,  springing  spaniel,  cocker,  cocking  spaniel  and  cock  flusher  seem 
to  have  been  applied  to  spaniels  of  all  sizes.  The  first  attempt  at  classifying 
spaniels  that  we  have  found  is  in  Thorburn's  "Shooting  Director}^,"  issued 
just  one  hundred  years  ago.  The  editor  gives  credit  to  a  Mr.  Charles 
Street  for  the  information  that  "the  following  kinds  were  made  use  of 
formerly:  the  springing,  hawking  spaniel  or  starter,  and  the  cocker  or 
cocking  spaniel.  The  first  was  used  for  springing  the  game  when  falconry 
was  amongst  the  prevalent  sports;  but  the  discovery  of  the  gun  superseding 
the  falcon,  the  powers  of  the  dog  were  directed  to  the  new  acquisition. 
Some  of  the  true  springers  still  remain  about  London,  but  rarely  elsewhere. 
These  are  little  difi^erent  from  the  larger  spaniel  or  setter,  except  in  size. 
Generally  red  or  red  and  white,  thinly  formed,  ears  short,  long  limbed, 
coat  waving  and  silky,  tail  bushy  and  seldom  cut.  Differing  from  this  is 
the  cocker,  esteemed  for  its  compact  form.  The  coat  is  more  inclined  to 
curl  than  the  springer's,  and  the  tail  is  commonly  truncated.  The  colours 
are  liver  and  white,  red,  red  and  white,  black  and  white,  all  liver,  and  some- 
times black  with  tanned  legs  and  muzzle."     Thorburn  held  that  the  cocker 

247 


248  The  Dog  Book 

was  closely  related  to  the  English  water  spaniel,  and  stated  that  some  of 
the  strongest  of  the  cockers  were  found  in  Sussex  and  called  Sussex  spaniels, 
and  that  another  and  smaller  variety  was  the  Duke  of  Marlborough's. 
Also  that  the  term  cocker  was  taken  from  their  being  used  for  woodcock 
shooting. 

That  is  the  only  attempted  distinction  we  have  found  written  about 
that  time,  and  all  other  spaniel  information  tends  to  show  that  there  was 
little  discrimination  in  spaniel  names.  In  the  Rev.  Mr.  Simons's  useful  little 
book  previously  referred  to  regarding  English  and  Irish  setters  he  begins  a 
chapter  headed  "The  Springing  Spaniel"  by  saying:  "The  cocking  or 
gun  spaniel  of  true,  perfect  breed."  It  is  quite  true  that  he  only  describes 
what  we  know  nowadays  as  the  cocker — "back  broad  and  short,  legs  short 
with  breeches  behind" — which  does  not  fit  a  large  dog  at  all,  besides  which, 
he  first  places  the  "black  and  tan,  commonly  called  the  King  Charles" 
breed.  On  the  other  hand,  he  describes  no  large  spaniel  at  all,  and  yet 
uses  the  words  springing  spaniel  to  cover  the  entire  group.  Mr.  Simons 
covers  the  ground  from  1725  to  1775.  We  then  take  Daniel;  1801-13 
are  the  dates  of  the  editions  of  his  "Rural  Sports."  Throughout  the  entire 
work,  of  the  editions  we  have  seen,  he  never  uses  any  word  but  spaniel, 
no  matter  what  the  sport  may  be  under  consideration  in  which  they  are 
used,  except  in  one  instance  when  he  italicises  springing  spaniels  in  con- 
nection with  shooting  some  red-legged  partridges  in  turnips  which  always 
ran  from  pointers.  It  almost  looks  as  if  he  meant  to  say  that  they  were 
not  setting  spaniels.  Vincent's  poem,  "Fowling,"  is  also  drawn  blank, 
spaniel  being  the  only  word  he  uses,  and  on  one  occasion  he  might  well 
have  used  either  "springing"  or  "cocking"  when  he  writes,  "The  questing 
spaniel  some  prefer,"  in  his  description  of  pheasant  shooting.  Again,  in 
Scott's  "Field  Sports"  of  the  same  period  we  find  but  the  one  word,  "span- 
iel." On  the  other  hand,  we  have  in  Bewick's  "History  of  Quadrupeds" 
an  illustration  and  description  of  "the  springer,  or  cocker,"  in  which  he 
includes  the  King  Charles  and  the  Pyrame  Dog,  Buffon's  name  for  the 
Blenheim.  But  here  we  must  take  into  consideration  that  Daniel,  W.  H. 
Scott  and  Vincent  were  experts  with  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  correct 
terms  in  usage  and  Bewick  was  not. 

When  we  come  to  the  next  group  of  writers  we  find  J.  Scott,  in  the 
"Sportsman's  Repository,"  publishing  an  illustration  by  Reinagle  of 
a  large,  leggy  spaniel  springing  a  woodcock,  with  the  title   "springer,'* 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  249 

and  then  in  the  text  stating  that  "the  three  chief  varieties  of  land  spaniel 
were  the  springer  or  large  spaniel,  the  small  or  cocking  spaniel,  and  the 
small,  delicate,  domestic  spaniel  or  comforter."  Further  on  he  states  that 
the  springer  and  cocker  differ  but  in  degree,  the  former  being  larger.  Cap- 
tain Brown,  1829,  gives  to  each  a  chapter,  but  mixes  his  varieties  very 
much,  describing  the  Sussex  as  a  cocker,  and  in  the  other  chapter  practically 
saying  they  are  both  springers,  only  differing  as  to  size.  His  one  illustra- 
tion is  for  the  cocker,  and  it  bears  a  strong  family  likeness  in  position  to 
Chalon's  left-hand  spaniel  in  his  very  pretty  illustration  from  Daniel's 
book  used  in  the  chapter  on  the  Clumber  spaniel  in  Part  III. 

Youatt  is  the  last  writer  of  this  period,  and  he  gives  the  same  division 
and  about  the  same  description,  only  we  can  note  a  change  in  the  springer 
in  its  approach  to  the  field-spaniel  type  when  he  says  that  they  are  slower 
and  steadier  in  range  than  the  cocker.  The  next  jump  is  to  the  modern 
authorities  beginning  with  Stonehenge,  and  the  absorption  of  springer 
into  the  field-spaniel  classification  and  the  preservation  of  cocker. 

Some  writers  have  drawn  attention  to  the  double  use  of  "cock"  for 
pheasants  and  woodcock,  and  here  are  a  few  quotations  on  that  subject: 

Daniel,  in  his  chapter  on  pheasants,  says:  "Spaniels  for  pheasant  or 
cock  shooting  cannot  be  too  short  upon  the  leg,  or  have  too  much  courage; 
the  thickness  of  the  coverts  will  oppose  and  sometimes  almost  overpower 
even  this  combination  of  form  and  spirit."  The  reader  can  choose  his 
own  interpretation  as  to  that  meaning  woodcock  shooting;  for  to  show  that 
the  hens  were  spared  he  quotes  the  poet  Pye: 

"  But  when  the  hen  to  thy  discerning  view 
Her  sober  pinions  spreads  of  duskier  hue, 
The  attendant  Keeper's  prudent  warning  hear 
And  spare  the  offspring  of  the  future  year; 
Else  shall  the  fine  which  custom  laid  of  old 
Avenge  her  slaughter  by  thy  forfeit  gold." 

The  custom  was  to  make  the  shooter  of  a  hen  pay  a  guinea,  which  was 
given  to  the  keepers.  This  was  also  a  Continental  custom,  and  the  attendant 
of  one  of  the  Bourbon  princes,  shooting  by  invitation  at  Mr.  Coke's  Holkham 
estate,  gave  the  warning  "poule"  when  a  hen  sprung. 

From  W.  H.  Scott  we  take  these:  "On  the  Suffolk  manors  of  Mr. 
Thelluson  they  could  afford  to  kill  two  thousand  brace  of  cocks  annually." 
This  was  distinctly  with  regard  to  pheasants.     Under  the  head  of  wood- 


250  The  Dog  Book 

cock  shooting  he  uses  the  term  cock  shooting  almost  entirely,  such  as: 
"Good  questing  spaniels  are  the  only  dogs  for  cock  shooting."  "Here 
lies  the  difficulty  of  cock  shooting." 

We  by  no  means  hold  that  these  extracts  are  at  all  conclusive  and 
beyond  a  reasonable  doubt,  but  we  do  hold  that  there  was  no  distinct  line 
as  to  small  dogs  being  kept  for  woodcocks  and  large  dogs  for  other  covert 
work.  In  the  brief  description  of  the  Clumber  spaniel,  then  known  as  the 
Duke  of  Newcastle's  or  Mansell's  breed,  which  appeared  in  the  Sporting 
Magazine  in  1807,  even  this,  the  largest  of  all  the  spaniels,  was  styled 
cock  flusher;  while  in  one  of  our  pointer  illustrations  will  be  seen  some 
small  spaniels  used  for  hawking. 

We  have  already  shown  that  the  field  spaniel  was  very  much  mixed 
with  cocker,  or  small  spaniel  strains  up  to  the  close  of  the  seventies,  and 
into  the  next  decade  to  a  smaller  extent,  and  it  is  not  necessary  to  attempt 
any  tracing  of  lines  previous  to  1880  when  the  improvement  in  spaniels 
began  in  this  country.  At  that  time  there  were  probably  not  a  dozen 
spaniels  in  America  that  could  get  a  highly  commended  card  at  New  York 
among  present-day  cockers.  George  D.  MacDougal,  of  Toronto,  brought 
down  to  New  York  in  188 1  a  nice  little  lot,  showing  much  more  character 
than  the  most  of  the  American  entry.  We  then  became  associated  with 
him  in  what  he  called  the  Lachine  Kennels,  and  worked  up  sufficient 
interest  among  breeders  to  establish  the  American  Spaniel  Club  at  the  next 
New  York  reunion.  A  black  cocker  sent  out  to  us  with  the  field  spaniel  Bene- 
dict from  Mr.  Jacobs's  kernel  was  about  the  best  of  the  cockers  section,  but 
did  not  get  the  cup,  the  judge  explaining  that  he  thought  we  had  won  enough, 
and,  having  the  field-spaniel  cup  and  sundry  first  prizes,  it  was  only  fair  to 
let  someone  else  get  the  other  cup.  Such  was  dog-show  practice  in  those  days. 
With  the  establishment  of  the  Spaniel  Club  the  breed  boomed,  and  as 
the  great  authority  for  dog  men,  Stonehenge,  had  praised  the  spaniel  Brush, 
some  breeders  made  a  rush  for  Brush  stock.  Mr.  Pitcher  and  Mr.  Cum- 
mings,  of  New  Hampshire,  imported  some  of  this  blood  from  the  Easton 
Kennel,  as  did  the  Hornell  Club,  but  these  were  a  mixed  lot.  Doctor 
Niven  got  the  best  cocker  of  all  the  Brush  line  in  his  Black  Bess;  a  very 
good  bitch,  nice  size,  good  head  and  particularly  good  in  coat.  Doctor 
Niven  also  got  her  daughter  Bene,  who  was  by  Bob  HI.,  the  fighting  field 
spaniel  referred  to  in  the  previous  chapter.  Bene  was  also  a  nicely  feathered 
bitch,  and  some  preferred  her  to  her  dam. 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  251 

One  of  the  many  tales  they  used  to  tell  in  connection  with  the  irrepressible 
Dan  O'Shea  was  that  on  one  occasion,  when  showing  these  two  cockers, 
the  judge  pegged  back  one,  telling  him  it  was  no  good.  Dan  went  to  work 
on  her  with  shears  and  knife,  and  with  half  her  feather  gone  led  her  in  in 
place  of  the  one  entered  in  the  other  class,  was  highly  complimented  upon 
this  spaniel  and  got  with  the  blue  ribbon  the  assurance  that  it  was  worth 
a  whole  carload  of  the  one  he  had  brought  in  before. 

There  was  little  dependence  to  be  placed  upon  the  results  in  breeding 
from  this  blood  of  mixed  field  and  cocker  strains,  some  being  large  and 
some  small,  so  that  the  only  difference  was  that  of  the  dividing  Hne  of 
the  twenty-eight-pound  limit  as  to  cockers.  Above  that,  the  cocker's 
brother  was  a  field  spaniel;  but  the  end  to  this  state  of  affairs  was  rapidly 
approaching,  and  arrived  in  the  shape  of  a  puppy,  imported  in  utero,  and 
by  Mr.  Farrow's  Obo  out  of  Chloe  II.,  a  Bullock-bred  bitch.  This  black 
puppy  Mr.  J.  P.  Willey  bought  from  Mr.  Pitcher  and  named  Obo  II., 
after  his  then  well-known  sire,  for  the  Obo  strain  had  become  very  prominent 
in  England.  To  Obo  II.  we  owe  the  sudden  elevation  of  the  cocker  and 
the  fixing  of  type,  which  so  quickly  changed  the  appearance  of  the  cocker 
benches. 

The  remarkable  thing  about  Obo  II.  was  that  for  some  time  he  got 
nothing  but  solid  black,  no  matter  what  colour  the  bitch  might  be.  His 
litter  brother  Hornell  Silk  was  not  quite  so  prepotent,  and  from  him  came 
mixed  colours,  while  from  both  of  them  later  on  we  got  buffs,  and  from 
them  the  reds.     We  wrote  as  follows  of  Obo  II.  in  October,  1884: 

"About  a  year  ago  it  was  rumoured  among  the  spaniel  men  that  there 
was  a  clinking  good  puppy  up  in  New  Hampshire,  owned  by  a  person 
named  Willey,  who  had  lately  taken  to  the  fancy.  Rumour  is  frequently 
astray  in  such  things,  but  this  time  no  mistake  had  been  made.  Mr. 
J.  P.  Willey  gave  quite  a  long  figure  for  the  puppy  and  named  him  Obo  II., 
and  it  was  not  long  before  we  heard  of  breeders  of  experience  sending  their 
bitches  all  the  way  to  Salmon  Falls.  Young  as  he  was  at  that  time,  he  had 
yet  matured  so  early  that  large  litters  were  the  rule  from  the  beginning, 
and  that  his  vitality  has  not  been  impaired  is  evidenced  from  his  first  love, 
Critic,  having  just  thrown  a  second  litter  of  twelve  to  him.  As  usual 
in  his  litters,  all  are  black,  none  of  the  difficult-to-sell  livers  turning  up  to 
annoy  the  breeder. 

"Obo  II.  was  first  shown  at  Manchester,  N.  H.,  in  September,  1883, 


252  The  Dog  Book 

where  he  won  first.  At  Lowell,  in  December,  he  won  the  championship  and 
the  special  for  best  cocker  in  the  show.  At  New  York  the  championship 
fell  to  his  share,  and  the  special  for  the  best  cocker  owned  by  a  spaniel 
club  member.  He  is  sire  of  the  winning  puppy  at  Lowell,  also  of  the  first 
three  puppies  at  New  Haven,  of  three  prize  winners  at  Toronto  and  of  first 
and  second  at  New  York.  Obo  H.  is  a  nice,  compactly  built  little  fellow. 
His  head  is  a  little  strong,  but  it  is  nicely  carried;  his  coat  is  dense  and  flat,, 
and  his  legs  and  feet  first  class.  He  is  a  long  way  in  front  of  any  of  his 
sex  seen  in  this  country  so  far,  either  as  a  show  dog  or  sire." 

Mr.  George  W.  Leavitt,  of  Boston,  who  afterward  became  so  prominent 
with  trotting  horses,  next  imported  Obo,  Jr.,  from  Mr.  Farrow's  kennels; 
he  being  out  of  Nellie,  one  of  the  best  bitches  in  the  Ipswich  establishment 
and  dam  of  many  good  ones.  Mr.  Willey,  however,  wanted  another  dog 
and  bought  Obo,  Jr.,  in  order  to  supplement  the  work  of  Obo  H.;  but  he 
was  not  the  success  that  the  old  dog  had  been,  though  a  very  useful  dog. 
Mr.  Leavitt  also  imported  that  beautiful  bitch  Miss  Obo  H.,  who  was 
out  of  Farrow's  Fern,  and  she  by  the  very  long  and  heavy  Beverlac.  Com- 
pared with  Obo  n..  Miss  Obo  was  quite  lengthy,  and  at  that  time  the 
effort  to  get  the  spaniels  low  on  the  leg  was  being  accompanied  by  more 
length  than  was  altogether  correct.  Miss  Obo  H.  was  sent  up  to  Boston 
specially  on  the  occasion  of  our  visiting  that  city  soon  after  her  arrival,  and 
we  then  wrote  that  she  was  without  exception  the  best  spaniel  yet  seen 
here.  She  had  just  been  bred  to  Obo  H.,  and  Mr.  Leavitt  had  refused 
Mr.  Willey's  oflPer  of  ^275  for  a  half  interest  in  her.  Soon  afterward  he 
bought  her  outright  and  she  had  a  great  career  on  the  bench.  To  show 
somewhat  the  type  of  Miss  Obo  H.  we  give  an  illustration  of  Paro,  the  only 
dog  Mr.  Willey  now  owns.  Of  course  he  is  not  nearly  so  good  as  Miss 
Obo  was,  but  that  was  about  what  she  looked  like  in  conformation,  as  we 
remember  her.  As  Obo  H.  and  Miss  Obo  H.  were  so  representative  of 
the  best  cocker  type  of  that  period,  we  support  what  description  we  have 
given  of  them  with  the  more  elaborate  criticism  made  by  Mr.  Mason  in 
his  valuable  contribution  to  American  kennel  literature,  "Our  Prize  Dogs'* 
"Obo  n.  Criticism.  Skull  showing  slight  coarseness.  Muzzle  should 
be  deeper,  with  a  cleaner-cut  appearance  in  every  direction;  it  is  wider 
than  we  like  and  the  lower  incisors  project  slightly.  Ears  correct  in  size,, 
shape,  position,  quality  and  carriage.  Eyes  good  in  colour,  size  and  ex- 
pression.    Neck  somewhat  too  heavy.     Chest  deep,  with  ribs  beautifully 


CHAMPION    BLACK    DUKE 
It  is  not  too  much  to  say  that  this  was  the  best  cocl<er  dog  ever  shown  in  America.    Owned  by  Mr.  George  Douglas,  of  Woodstock,  Ont. 


CHAMPION    OBO  II. 

Mr.  J.  P.  Willey's  dog  tliat  so  wonderfully  improved  the  type  of  cockers  in  this  country 


DUKE   ROYAL 
An  excellent  son  of  Champion  Romany  Rye,  shown  successfully  on  the  Pacific  coast  by  Mr.  Roland  G.  Gamewell,  of  Bellingham,  Wash. 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  253 

sprung.  Shoulders  strong  and  free.  Back  firm.  Loin  compact  and 
strong.  Hind  quarters  of  exquisite  formation.  Fore  legs  showing  great 
strength  and  set  into  good  feet.  Stern  well  set.  Carriage  gay.  Coat 
showing  slight  curliness,  especially  on  neck  and  hind  quarters.  Feather 
profuse.  A  thick-set  and  sturdy  little  dog  that  looks  exactly  what  he  is — 
the  prince  of  stud  dogs.  Obo  II.  is  not  so  good  in  head  as  his  kennel 
companion,  Miss  Obo  II.,  but  his  worth  to  the  cocker  interests  of  this 
country  cannot  be  overestimated." 

"Miss  Obo  II.  Criticism.  Skull  beautifully  formed,  with  clean  cheeks 
and  median  line  clearly  defined.  Muzzle  better  than  we  have  seen  in  any 
other  specimen  in  this  country;  it  is  of  correct  length,  and  has  a  clean-cut 
appearance  in  every  direction,  especially  near  to  the  eyes  and  nose,  where 
so  many  otherwise  good  specimens  fail.  Eyes  correct  in  colour  and  expres- 
sion. Ears  long  enough,  well  placed  and  well  carried.  This  is  much 
the  best  cocker  head  that  we  have  seen  in  America;  in  fact,  it  would  take 
a  wonderfully  good  one  to  beat  it.  Neck  of  excellent  formation.  Chest 
deep  with  ribs  well  sprung.  Shoulders  correctly  placed.  Back  strong. 
Loin  showing  strength  and  would  be  none  the  worse  if  it  were  shorter. 
Hind  quarters  in  harmony  with  fore.  Fore  legs  not  perfectly  straight;  they 
should  be  heavier  in  bone.  Feet  inclined  to  turn  outward;  they  should  be 
thicker  through  the  pads,  also  more  compact.  Stern  well  set  and  properly 
carried.  Coat  excellent.  Feather  profuse.  Moves  in  excellent  style.  Is 
longer  between  the  couplings  than  we  like  and  would  be  improved  with 
more  substance.  A  bitch  showing  lovely  quality.  The  first  time  we  saw 
this  excellent  specimen  we  said  that  she  could  beat  any  cocker  on  the 
American  show  benches.  This  opinion  has  been  substantially  endorsed  by 
many  of  the  best  judges,  and  Miss  Obo  II.  is  generally  conceded  to  be  the 
best  cocker  that  has  ever  been  shown  in  this  country." 

Of  the  dogs  which  succeeded  these  two  the  prominent  ones  were  Black 
Pete,  of  long,  field-spaniel  type  and  just  inside  the  cocker  weight  limit; 
Brant,  a  nice  dog  in  many  ways,  but  not  right  in  head;  and  Doc,  a  typical 
little  dog  in  shape,  style  and  action  that  we  advised  Mr.  West,  of  Camden,  to 
buy  as  a  puppy  for  i^ioo  when  he  was  placed  equal  with  a  puppy  named 
Dunrobin  at  the  New  Haven  show.  It  took  a  very  good  dog  to  beat  Doc, 
who  afterward  passed  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  A.  C.  Wilmerding.  His 
breeding  on  the  dam's  side  was  weak,  and  this  probably  accounts  for  his 
not  being  as  much  of  a  success  as  a  sire  as  his  looks  warranted  one  to  expect; 


254  The  Dog  Book 

but  he  sired  two  good  ones  in  Red  Doc  and  the  black  La  Tosca.  Beatrice 
W.  was  a  very  good-bodied  bitch  of  true  cocker  character;  Helen,  the 
extreme  of  the  long  and  low  type,  and  not  straight  in  coat;  Juno  W.,  one  of 
the  other  sort,  too  'high  on  the  leg  and  pinched  in  muzzle,  but  a  taking, 
active  cocker.  Lady  of  the  Lake  was  a  bitch  owned  by  Mr.  Curtis  (who 
lately  bred  the  white  cocker  Purity),  and  was  much  above  the  average 
in  body  and  coat  as  well  as  movement,  but  a  little  weak  in  face.  Shina 
was  next  to  Miss  Obo  IL  in  the  opinion  of  pretty  much  all  the  cocker  experts, 
some  even  preferring  her  on  account  of  her  shorter  body  and  better  loin, 
but  she  lacked  the  beautifully  moulded  muzzle  of  the  crack  and  her  exquisite 
quality. 

Following  those  named  came  Mr.  Willey's  Jersey,  a  dog  very  much  on 
the  lines  of  Obo  IL,  his  sire,  while  the  well-known  Darkie  was  his  dam. 
He  was  bred  at  Salmon  Falls  by  a  friend  of  Mr.  Willey,  named  Mr.  P. 
Cullen,  who  sold  him  to  Mr.  Shaw,  of  Trenton,  and  when  it  was  found 
that  he  was  a  worthy  candidate  for  admission  to  the  Willey  kennels  he  was 
purchased  by  that  exhibitor.  When  his  career  ended  Mr.  Willey  may  be 
said  to  have  retired,  for  his  business  would  not  permit  of  his  giving  the 
attention  to  spaniels  he  had  previously  done,  though  he  still  made  occasional 
entries. 

While  we  had  many  good  cockers  in  the  States  at  that  time,  that  is, 
up  to  1888,  there  were  plenty  in  the  Dominion  that  also  ranked  high,  espe- 
cially in  the  other  than  black  classes;  Messrs.  Charles  M.  Nelles,  James 
Luckwell  and  Andrew  Laidlaw  being  the  prominent  Canadians  of  that 
time.  Mr.  Nelles  had  that  good  dog  Brant,  and  Mr.  Luckwell  brought 
out  Black  Duke,  a  dog  that  was  to  be  unbeatable  after  a  while,  but  was 
then  such  an  indifferent  shower  that  the  judges  could  not  do  justice  to  his 
really  good  points.  At  times  he  actually  crawled  in  the  sawdust,  but  after 
passing  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  George  Douglas  he  improved  wonderfully, 
and  his  career  of  success  only  ended  with  his  retirement  when  Mr.  Douglas 
had  a  good  one  to  succeed  him.  We  do  not  think  we  ever  asked  or  knew 
what  Black  Duke  weighed,  but  he  would  surely  have  been  perilously  near 
the  present-day  high  limit,  for  he  was  a  good-sized  dog,  well  built,  possessing 
substance,  with  freedom  of  movement  and  "liberty."  His  head  was 
exceptionally  good,  ears  well  hung,  neck  of  good  length,  and  a  well-propor- 
tioned body,  with  good  legs  and  feet,  the  whole  set  off  with  a  coat  of  good 
texture  and  colour,  and  plenty  of  feather.     Beyond  any  question  he  was  the 


BLACK  DUFFERIN 

Owned  by  Luckwell  &  Douglas,  of  Woodstock,  Ont. 


CHAMPION   ONO 


CHAMPION   MIDDY 


Two  well-known  winners  shown  by  the  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels,  of  Germantown,  Pa. 


RAVEN    LITTLE    WOMAN 
A  leader  in  the  spaniel  fancy  in  Colorado.     Owned  by  Mrs.  W.  H.  Kerr,  of  Denver 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  255 

star  of  the  Obo  II.  family.  In  the  other  than  black  classes  Brantford 
Red  Jacket  was  about  the  best.  He  was  bred  and  owned  by  Mr.  Nelles, 
and  by  his  dog  Brant.  He  was  of  a  very  rich  shade  of  red,  much  deeper 
than  we  generally  got  at  that  time.  In  one  of  our  old  catalogues  where  he 
is  marked  as  the  winner  in  the  open  class  at  New  York  in  1890,  we  find 
the  note,  "Has  an  Irish  setter  colour,"  showing  that  the  reds  did  not  generally 
come  of  that  deep  shade  in  those  days,  otherwise  it  would  not  have  been 
mentioned. 

Mr.  George  Bell,  who  showed  many  good  Canadian-bred  cockers  for 
many  years,  made  his  first  essay  in  spaniels  at  New  York  in  1890,  and  he 
was  always  a  dangerous  factor  as  long  as  he  paid  close  attention  to  the 
breed.  Two  years  later  a  kennel  which  was  for  years  the  strongest  in  the 
country  made  an  initial  entry  at  New  York — the  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels 
of  Mrs.  H.  E.  Smyth.  Her  first  spaniel  exhibit  was  the  black  dog  Snowball, 
by  the  Willey  dog  Dandy  W.  out  of  Chip  K.  Snowball  had  won  several 
prizes  before  he  appeared  at  New  York,  in  1892,  and  there  took  third  prize. 
His  success  induced  his  owner  to  purchase  the  dam,  and  thus  was  started 
this  very  strong  kennel  of  cockers,  for  from  Chip  K.  came  Miss  Waggles, 
Middy  and  one  or  two  others  of  lesser  fame.  Miss  Waggles  has  always 
been,  in  our  opinion,  one  of  the  best  cocker  bitches  bred  in  this  country, 
excelling  in  head  particularly,  and  good  also  in  body,  while  she  was  decidedly 
more  suited  for  work  than  the  modern  small  specimens,  which  run  so 
close  to  the  low  weight.  Middy  was  a  compact  little  dog,  full  of  character, 
and  sired  a  large  number  of  very  good  cockers.  The  Bell  kennel  had  at  that 
time  Fascination  and  Realization,  which  upheld  the  Canadian  end  with 
honour,  though  the  latter  was  really  bred  on  this  side  of  the  line  by  the 
late  Mr.  C.  H.  Bush,  of  Buffalo.  Fascination,  in  addition  to  his  own  merits 
as  a  show  dog,  must  not  be  overlooked  as  the  sire  of  Baby  Ruth,  who  both 
before  and  after  becoming  the  property  of  Mr.  H.  K.  Bloodgood  had  a 
brilliant  career. 

Baby  Ruth  was  by  many  considered  ideal  in  head.  She  was  shown 
by  Mr.  Laidlaw  at  New  York  in  1895,  and  was  one  of  a  brilliant  galaxy 
of  stars  sent  down  from  the  north  country,  including  the  great  Black 
Duke,  who  came  to  his  own  on  this  occasion  with  first  in  the  challenge 
class.  The  latter  was  one  of  Mr.  Douglas's  winning  team  of  cockers, 
won  the  cup  for  the  best  spaniel  of  any  breed,  and  the  special  for  the  best 
sire  of  cockers.     Other  winning  Canadians  were  Red  Roland,  first  in  tjje 


256  The  Dog  Book 

challenge  class  for  other  than  black  or  liver;  Bell  Boy,  second  in  open 
black  dogs;  Woodland  Princess,  second  to  Baby  Ruth  in  open  bitches, 
black;  Rideau  Reine,  third  in  the  same  class;  Red  Robin  and  Derby,  first 
and  second  in  open,  red  or  liver  dogs;  third  going  to  the  Canadian  bred, 
but  New  York  owned,  Cardinal;  Fannie  and  Red  Beauty,  first  and  second 
in  red  or  liver  bitches;  Woodland  Bessie,  second  in  the  open  class  for  any 
other  colour;  Bell  Boy  and  Red  Robin,  first  and  second  in  dog  puppies; 
and  Woodland  Princess,  first  in  bitch  puppies.  There  was  no  gainsaying 
the  strong  lead  of  the  Canadians  on  that  occasion,  and  of  course  many 
commendations  were  secured  in  addition  to  those  prominent  winnings. 
At  that  show  Mr.  W.  T.  Payne  was  successful  in  what  he  subsequently 
made  his  specialty,  the  particolours,  winning  with  Tonita. 

With  the  change  in  classification  so  that  dogs  could  be  shown  in  more 
than  one  class,  and  the  showing  of  good  dogs  thus  becoming  more  remuner- 
ative, spaniels  took  on  a  new  lease  of  life,  and  the  number  of  exhibitors 
was  added  to  by  the  accessions  of  Mr.  Bloodgood's  Mepal  Kennels,  the 
Brookside  Kennels,  Mr.  Edwin  W.  Fiske's  Mount  Vernon  Kennels,  and 
Mrs.  Warner's  Belle  Isle  Kennels,  of  Detroit.  The  Canadians  had  no 
longer  such  a  run  of  success  as  they  had  lately  enjoyed,  and  there  was  a 
splitting  up  of  the  prizes,  with  the  Americans  getting  their  share  of  the 
honours.  Mr.  Douglas  was,  however,  still  able  to  hold  his  own,  and  in 
1897  brought  out  Black  Duke's  son  Premier,  with  which  he  captured  first 
in  the  open  class  at  New  York  in  1898.  He  also  won  with  Ono  in  the 
junior  class  from  that  dog's  sire  Omo.  The  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels 
was  also  a  good  winner  with  Cupid  S.,  Banner  Mattie,  and  Banner  Rita 
(the  latter  by  the  home-bred  Champion  Goldie  S.).  Mr.  Bloodgood,  though 
holding  out  Baby  Ruth,  was  able  to  take  first  and  second  in  the  open  class 
with  Little  Egypt  and  Mepal's  Opal;  and  another  first  went  to  Mepal's 
Cleo.  It  was  this  good  lot  of  bitches  which  laid  the  foundation  for  so 
much  success  with  the  Mepals  in  more  recent  years.  Mr.  Payne  was  now 
showing  that  beautiful  little  particolour  Blue  Bells  II.,  which  set  the  standard 
as  to  what  the  markings  of  a  black  and  white  particolour  should  be. 

Mr.  Bloodgood  donned  the  ermine  at  New  York  in  1899,  and  this 
put  the  Mepal  dogs  out  of  competition.  Premier  had  changed  hands,  and 
so  had  little  Ono,  and  they  were  great  rivals  all  through  the  year.  Here 
they  were  placed  as  mentioned,  but  it  was  always  a  question  as  to  condition 
between  them,  unless  the  judge  preferred  the  neater-built  little  Ono,  for 


MR.   J.    P.  WILLEY'S   PARO 
The  last  spaniel  oi  his  old  Miss  Ooo  II.  type  ol  body 


CHAMPION    ROMANY   RYE 
A  prominent  winner  from  Mr.  \V.  T.  Payne's  kennel 


CHAMPION    BLUE   BELLS    II. 
A  well-marked  parti-colour  shown  by  Mr.  W.  T.  Payne 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  257 

Premier  just  touched  the  top  Hmit  of  weight  when  in  condition.  The 
well-known  and  miich-liked  Mr.  George  Dunn  was  a  welcome  visitor  at 
New  York  this  year,  and  his  successes  with  Freedom,  Rose  of  Ruby,  Pre- 
tender and  Black  Knight  of  Woodstock,  a  dog  he  did  better  with  on  other 
occasions,  were  well  received.  Mr.  C.  H.  Mason  introduced  us  to  Surprise, 
a  black  bitch,  which  hardly  realised  all  the  expectations  of  her  owner, 
though  in  every  class  shown  she  was  one  of  the  placed  bitches,  and  took  two 
firsts,  including  that  in  open.  The  judging  was  a  little  ragged  here  and 
there  on  this  occasion,  such,  for  instance,  as  a  very  pretty  little  red,  Pitti 
Sing,  getting  no  mention  in  puppy  class,  second  in  novice,  and  reserve  in 
open,  while  Mr.  Payne's  good  particolour  Romany  Rye  was  second  in  one 
class  and  dropped  back  to  highly  commended  in  his  next  one.  It  must  be 
said,  however,  that  the  classes  were  large,  the  puppy  class  having  thirty 
entries  alone,  and  the  task  set  the  judge  was  as  difficult  as  was  ever  given 
a  man  at  New  York,  on  account  of  the  evenness  of  some  of  the  competitions 
and  perhaps  a  lack  of  strength  on  the  whole. 

During  the  past  five  years  it  has  not  seemed  to  us  that  much  advance 
has  been  made  in  cockers.  The  decrease  in  size  is  not  to  our  mind,  for, 
although  it  is  the  custom  to  talk  of  merry  little  cockers,  they  are  yet  dogs 
intended  for  work,  and  some  of  the  champions,  even  of  the  present  day, 
are  not  much  heavier  than  good-sized  toy  spaniels  and  are  shorter  on  the 
leg.  The  change  in  the  weights  of  the  cockers  made  four  years  ago  was 
not  because  it  was  absolutely  desirable  to  get  smaller  dogs,  but  because  they 
could  not  be  kept  up  in  size  to  what  was  formerly  the  case  when  they  ran 
from  twenty-two  pounds,  as  a  small  dog,  up  to  the  limit  of  twenty-eight, 
and  shown  light  at  that.  We  can  very  well  remember  being  taken  to  task 
by  nearly  every  spaniel  man  except  the  owner  of  a  neat  cocker  of  about 
nineteen  pounds  which  we  had  placed  up  in  the  prize  list  at  a  prominent 
show  in  the  New  York  district.  A  very  short  time  ago  we  were  judging 
the  breed,  and  in  one  class  there  was  a  most  diminutive  specimen,  of  which 
we  asked  the  weight.  "Eighteen  pounds."  That  is  the  low  limit.  We 
would  have  liked  to  put  her  on  the  scales,  but  there  were  none  at  the  show, 
for  on  looking  at  the  catalogue  we  found  she  was  a  champion,  and  we  are 
very  well  certain  that  unless  fed  up  for  the  occasion  she  could  not  scale  the 
required  weight.  Yet  this  toy  was  not  so  very  much  smaller  than  the  run 
of  the  cockers  of  the  present  day  as  to  excite  any  particular  comment, 
whereas  twenty-five  years  ago  she  might  have  got  a  highly  commended 


258  The  Dog  Book 

card.  The  change  in  the  standard  was  not  made  to  correct  an  evil,  but  to 
provide  for  one  that  breeders  had  not  been  able  to  cope  w^ith  successfully. 
Obo  11.  v^^as  alw^ays  considered  a  small  dog,  and  he  weighed  twenty-two 
and  one-half  pounds,  Mr.  Mason  records  him  as  even  twenty-three 
pounds. 

To  show  that  we  are  not  writing  fancies  for  facts,  as  many  are  apt  to 
do  with  regard  to  past  dogs,  we  will  take  Mr.  Mason's  figures  in  "Our 
Prize  Dogs,"  being  the  record  of  the  winning  dogs  during  1887.  We 
find  sixteen  cocker  dogs  recorded  with  weights,  and  nineteen  bitches.  Two 
of  the  latter  we  will  discard,  for  the  reason  that  Mr.  Mason  says  they 
were  not  show  specimens  in  any  way.  They  weighed  twenty-one  and 
twenty  pounds  respectively,  and  those  who  wish  to  consider  it  right  to  bring 
them  into  the  discussion  are  at  liberty  to  do  so.  If  the  cockers  recorded 
in  this  book  were  being  shown  to-day  twenty-two  out  of  the  thirty-three 
would  be  disqualified  as  being  over  weight,  and  five  of  the  remaining  eleven 
are  on  the  top  mark  of  present  admission  weight,  or  exactly  twenty-four 
pounds.  The  dogs  over  twenty-four  pounds  included  the  following  promi- 
nent winners:  Black  Pete,  Brant,  Compton  Boniface,  Dandy  W.,  Hornell 
Silk,  Keno,  Ned  Obo,  Peerless  Gloss  and  Royal.  Of  the  five  under  that 
weight  Obo  II.  and  Doc  were  the  only  two  good  ones.  Master  Shina  and 
Zeppo  being  a  long  way  below  them  in  quality.  Of  the  bitches  Miss  Obo 
II.  was  twenty-seven  pounds,  Juno  W.  a  pound  heavier,  and  Shina  was 
the  best  of  the  five  recorded  at  twenty-four  pounds,  while  Widow  Cliquot 
was  twenty-six  pounds. 

It  would  not  matter  so  much  if  the  weight  of  the  majority  ran  toward 
the  upper  limit  of  twenty-four  pounds,  but  the  tendency  is  the  other  way, 
and  there  are  more  in  the  lower  three  pounds — that  is,  from  eighteen  to 
twenty-one  pounds — ^than  from  the  latter  weight  up  to  twenty-four,  and 
unless  the  cocker  is  to  be  relegated  to  the  parlour  breeds  it  will  be  necessary 
to  counteract  the  tendency  toward  decreasing  weight. '  For  our  part,  we 
would  like  to  see  the  low  limit  raised  to  twenty  pounds  and  keep  what 
are  practically  toys  out  of  the  classes.  We  are  aware  that  breeders  do  not 
support  the  ideas  here  presented,  but  as  they  do  not  seem  to  be  able  to 
do  anything  but  get  a  decreasing  average  in  size^  it  is  not  to  be  expected 
that  they  will  condemn  what  they  want  to  win  with  and  to  sell.  The 
reason  that  there  was  no  opposition  to  the  change  in  the  weight  rule  was 
that  it  interfered  with  no  one,  for  no  one  had,  or  seemed  able  to  breed 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  25Q 

a  good-sized  cocker.     Mr.  Willey  saw  what  was  coming  years  ago,  and 
tried  crossing  with  a  large  field  spaniel  to  get  size,  but  he  lost  cocker  type. 

It  has  always  been  our  opinion  that  a  standard  for  any  breed  of  dogs 
is  of  far  less  use  than  its  framers  imagine  will  be  the  case.  The  first  standard 
of  the  Spaniel  Club  was  based  upon  the  recognised  code  drawn  by  Stone- 
henge,  with  some  particularisation  of  description  to  meet  our  requirements. 
The  matter  of  weight  was  first  of  all  decided  by  voting  a  scope  often  pounds 
in  view  of  the  diversified  varieties  of  that  time.  Then  it  was  decided  that 
it  would  be  ridiculous  to  call  a  spaniel  under  eighteen  pounds  a  sporting 
spaniel,  although  some  who  had  long-eared  toys  wished  to  get  down  to 
fifteen  pounds.  So  with  the  decision  to  allow  ten  pounds  between  the 
limits  and  not  to  go  below  eighteen  pounds,  the  top  limit  was  arbitrarily 
reached  at  twenty-eight  pounds.  Some  thought  the  top  weight  too  low, 
among  them  being  the  late  Mr.  J.  F.  Kirk,  of  Toronto,  a  gentleman  who 
shot  over  his  spaniels  and  went  in  a  good  deal  for  duck  shooting  and  wanted 
a  strong  dog.  It  cannot  be  gainsaid  that  much  said  in  the  standard  was 
afterward  useless  and  misleading,  for  comparative  terms  are  never  any- 
thing but  that,  and  to  say  "somewhat  wide,"  or  "medium  width,"  or  "rather 
narrow,"  is  not  in  any  one  instance  definite,  but  applies  only  to  the  time 
being,  when  it  is  known  what  the  expression  means.  If  you  start  with 
"rather  narrow,"  when  heads  are  anything  but  narrow,  and  get  the  average 
to  what  in  the  old  days  would  have  been  rather  narrow,  you  still  have  the 
standard  suggesting  something  a  little  narrower  than  is  ordinarily  seen. 
Judges  that  are  worth  putting  into  the  ring  never  trouble  themselves  about 
standards,  but  pick  out  what  they  like,  what  they  consider  typical,  and 
are  only  controlled  by  some  arbitrary  rule,  governing  weight,  height  or 
colour. 

We  will  illustrate  this  by  comparing  the  decisions  made  before  and 
after  the  cocker  standard  was  amended  in  March,  1901,  which  we  said  at 
the  time  of  its  adoption  would  not  make  the  slightest  change  in  anything 
except  the  demarkation  in  weight,  and  that  meant  nothing,  as  all  dogs 
shown  were  below  the  top  limit  of  twenty-four  pounds.  There  has  been 
no  sifting  of  selections  to  suit  any  preconceived  idea,  but  the  stud-book 
record  has  been  taken  and  every  dog  prominent  prior  to  the  change  and 
shown  subsequent  thereto  has  been  accepted.  Bay  View  Robin,  third 
Boston  and  second  Pittsburg,  afterward  took  six  seconds.  Bell  Boy, 
first  limit   and   reserve  winners  New  York,   afterward  took   seven   firsts. 


26o  The  Dog  Book 

some  seconds  and  thirds.  Braeside  Bob,  first  limit,  and  reserve  winners, 
Boston,  afterward  first  Danbury,  first  limit  Philadelphia  and  reserve 
winners.  Hampton  Red  Jacket,  third  limit  New  York,  afterward 
third  Chicago,  third  St.  Louis  and  reserve  open  Cleveland.  Mepal's 
Enid,  first  winners  Boston,  afterward  first  winners  Philadelphia.  Mepal's 
Glory,  second  limit  Providence  and  Boston,  afterward  reserve  limit  Phila- 
delphia. Mohican,  first  limit  Boston  and  Pittsburg,  second  limit  New 
York,  afterward  first  limit  Cleveland  and  Washington.  Ono,  first  open 
Providence,  New  York,  Chicago  and  Pittsburg,  afterward  first  open  Wash- 
ington and  Philadelphia.  Ornament,  second  hmit  Chicago,  St.  Louis  and 
Pittsburg,  afterward  second  limit  Cleveland,  Milwaukee  and  Philadelphia. 
Romany  Rye,  first  open  New  York,  Chicago  and  Boston,  afterward  first 
open  Cleveland  and  Washington. 

It  is  not  intended  to  show  all  the  winnings  of  these  dogs,  the  purpose 
being  to  demonstrate  whether  there  was  any  change  in  the  position  of 
dogs  that  were  exhibited  a  sufficient  number  of  times  or  to  show  that  they 
held  their  own.  From  the  foregoing  it  does  not  appear  that  any  allowance 
has  even  to  be  made  for  the  difference  in  judges'  opinions,  but  that  matters 
went  along  as  before.  Someone  might  say  that  these  dogs  were  so  good 
that  they  were  bound  to  win  under  any  sound  standard,  but  in  one  instance 
at  least  there  is  a  dog  that  remained  steadily  at  third  place.  Then  if  these 
dogs  could  also  win  under  the  old  standard,  just  as  they  did  under  the  new, 
the  old  must  have  been  suitable,  or,  if  not,  then  it  is  as  we  say,  the  standard 
is  not  used  as  a  guide  in  judging,  but  personal  opinion  alone  governs,  that 
opinion  being  based  upon  knowledge  of  what  is  proper  in  the  breed  bemg 
judged;    picked  up  through  association,  comparison  and  observation. 

What  alone  resulted  from  the  alterations  in  the  standard  was  the 
official  condemnation  of  the  old  large-size  cocker,  but  in  this  no  change 
was  created,  for  there  were  no  large  ones  being  shown  to  be  barred  out 
of  competition.  Matters  therefore  went  along  without  any  marked  change, 
and,  as  already  suggested,  there  was  little  advance  to  be  chronicled,  for 
the  good  dogs  still  held  their  own  against  the  younger  division.  One  class 
did  show  improvement,  and  that  was  the  particolour,  which  Mr.  Payne 
particularly  fancied,  and  in  which  Mr.  Fiske  took  a  part  with  a  very  neat, 
well-built  and  handsomely  marked  dog  named  Chief  IL,  which,  when  he 
gave  up  the  breed,  passed  into  Mr.  Greer's  Brookdale  Kennels,  and  has 
done  good  service  for  that  owner.     Mr.  Bloodgood  also  dabbled  a  little 


RIVAL    KING 
Property  of  Mrs.  F.  E.  Bailey,  of  Proyidence,  R.  1. 


MEPALS   SHOTOVER 
A  red  and  while  of  Mr.  Bloodgood's  breeding 


MEPALS   ROSEMARY 
One  of  Mr.   Bloodgood's  winning   home-bred  blacks 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  261 

in  this  variety,  although  for  a  long  time  it  was  evident  that  the  blacks  were 
his  favourites.  Still,  he  has  brought  out  one  or  two  very  pretty  red 
and  whites — a  most  attractive  colour.  In  the  particolour  classification 
the  Spaniel  Club  has  adopted  a  most  peculiar  rule,  to  the  effect  that  any 
dog  with  white  other  than  on  breast  is  a  particolour.  The  result  is  that 
we  have  dogs  forced  into  the  particolour  class  because  of  one  or  two  white 
toes,  while  one  with  ten  times  the  amount  of  white  on  breast  is  a  solid- 
coloured  dog.  The  well-known  dog  Buster  Brown  is  a  notable  example 
of  straining  at  a  gnat  and  swallowing  a  camel,  as  exemplified  by  this  rule. 
Buster  has  white  enough  on  his  breast  to  cover  a  man's  hand,  and  on  the 
top  of  his  nose  there  is  the  least  touch  of  roan.  By  no  stretch  of  the  imagina- 
tion can  it  be  called  a  white  blaze,  the  few  white  hairs  running  through 
the  coat  not  being  observable  until  the  dog  is  closely  inspected.  This 
little  flick  of  white  makes  him  a  particolour,  however,  while  the  wide  frill 
and  great  splash  of  white  on  his  chest  would  not  prevent  his  being  shown 
as  a  solid  red.  A  particolour  should  be  broken  up  in  colour  if  it  is  one 
with  white  as  one  of  the  component  colours. 

The  record  of  New  York  this  year  adds  colour  to  the  expressed  opinion 
regarding  the  older  dogs  holding  their  own.  In  the  black  dog  division 
we  find  Fritz  III.  on  the  retired  list  after  having  at  six  years  of  age  beaten 
his  class  at  Ne<v  York  in  1904.  In  his  place  was  the  four-year-old  dog 
Rhinebeck  Rollick.  In  other  than  black  dogs,  Romany  Rye  at  seven  years 
of  age  and  Chief  II.,  six  years,  were  the  best  two.  In  the  bitch  classes 
Mr.  Bloodgood  did  not  show  his  old  winners  which  had  done  duty  so  long, 
relying  upon  Mepal's  Dagmar,  who  was  a  little  over  two  years  old.  In 
the  particolours  and  other  than  black  Lorelei  still  held  her  own  at  four 
years  of  age.  We  must  of  course  look  for  many  changes  in  forthcoming 
prize  lists  in  regard  to  the  dogs  named  as  winners  this  year,  as  they  are  all 
getting  to  the  age  where  it  is  advisable  to  retire  them  with  honour;  it  is 
not  likely,  however,  that  there  will  be  any  radical  change  in  owners  of 
the  winners.  Since  the  Swiss  Mountain  Kennels  retired  a  few  years  ago, 
there  has  been  little  to  interfere  with  the  success  of  the  Mepal  Kennels, 
and  as  the  stock  is  breeding  on  and  producing  an  annual  crop  of  winners 
and  plenty  of  good  bitches  to  breed  from,  the  upper  hand  in  blacks  is  held 
at  this  kennel,  closely  followed  by  Mr.  Greer's  Brookdale  Kennels,  though 
this  gentleman  is  more  prone  to  an  occasional  outside  purchase  than  is 
Mr.   Bloodgood.     Messrs.    Douglas   and   Dunn,   of  Woodstock,   still   ably 


262  The  Dog  Book 

represent  that  district  of  Canada,  while  Mr.  Ciark  seems  to  have  quite  taken 
the  lead  among  the  Toronto  fanciers.  Mr.  W.  T.  Payne  is  Hkely  to  hold  his 
own  in  particolours,  as  he  is  both  a  breeder  and,  when  necessary,  a  purchaser. 
Other  staunch  supporters  and  good  fanciers  are  the  Annandale  Kennels,  Mr. 
C.  H.  Mason,  Rhinebeck  Kennels,  Mr.  O.  B.  Hark,  Mr.  A.  Clinton  Wilmerd- 
ing,  whose  fancy  is  more  for  the  worker  than  the  show  dog,  Mrs.  G.  A. 
Freeman,  and  the  Sharanock  Farm  Kennels.  A  rather  smaller  list  than  in 
the  old  days,  but  those  named  have  been  standbys  for  some  years  now,  and 
are  of  the  kind  that  last  even  if  first  prizes  are  rather  few  and  far  between. 
The  amended  description  and  scale  of  points  of  the  cocker  spaniel, 
adopted  by  the  Spaniel  Club,  is  as  follows: 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Skull. — ^Not  so  heavy  as  in  other  sporting  spaniels,  with  smooth  fore- 
head and  clearly  defined  eyebrows  and  stop,  the  median  line  distinctly 
marked  and  gradually  disappearing  until  lost  rather  more  than  half  way 
up;  a  well-developed,  rounded  and  comparatively  wide  skull,  showing 
no  prominence  in  the  cheeks,  which,  like  the  sides  of  the  muzzle,  should 
present  a  smooth,  clean-cut  appearance. 

Muzzle. — Proportionately  shorter  and  lighter  than  in  the  field  spaniel, 
showing  no  fulness  under  the  eyes,  the  jaws  even  and  approaching  square- 
ness. Teeth  sound  and  regular,  the  front  ones  meeting.  Lips  cut  off 
square,  preventing  any  appearance  of  snipiness.  Nose  well  developed 
in  all  directions  and  black  in  colour,  excepting  in  the  reds,  livers,  parti- 
colours of  these  shades,  and  in  the  roans  of  the  lighter  lines,  when  it  may 
be  brown  or  black. 

Eyes. — Comparatively  large,  round,  rather  full,  yet  never  goggled  nor 
weak  as  in  the  toy-spaniel  kinds.  They  should  be  dark  in  the  blacks, 
black  and  tans,  the  darker  shades  of  particolours  and  roans.  In  the  reds 
and  livers,  and  in  the  particolours  and  roans  of  these  colours,  they  should 
be  brown,  but  of  a  shade  not  lighter  than  hazel. 

Ears. — Lobular,  set  low,  leather  fine  and  not  extending  beyond  the 
nose,  well  clothed  with  long,  silky  hair  which  should  be  straight  or  wavy. 

Neck  and  Shoulders. — Neck  sufficiently  long  to  allow  the  nose  to  reach 
the  ground  easily,  muscular,  free  from  throatiness  and  running  into  clean- 
cut,  sloping  shoulders,  which  should  not  be  wide  at  the  points. 


The  Cocker  Spaniel  263 

Body. — Comparatively  short,  compact  and  firmly  knit  together,  giving 
the  impression  of  a  concentration  of  power  and  untiring  activity.  Chest 
deep  rather  than  wide,  not  narrow  fronted  nor  yet  so  wide  as  to  interfere 
with  free  action  of  the  fore  legs.  Ribs  well  sprung,  deep  and  carried  far 
back,  short  in  the  coupling  and  flank,  free  from  any  tucked  appearance. 
Back  and  loin  immensely  strong  and  compact  in  proportion  to  the  size  of 
the  dog,  the  former  level  and  the  latter  slightly  arched.  Hips  wide,  with 
quarters  considerably  rounded  and  very  muscular. 

Legs  and  Feet. — Fore  legs  short  and  straight,  though  proportionately 
longer  than  in  any  of  the  other  breeds  of  short-legged  spaniels,  strongly 
boned  and  muscled,  with  elbows  well  let  down  and  straight,  short,  strong 
pasterns.  Hind  legs  proportionately  short.  Stifles  well  bent.  Second 
thighs  clearly  defined.  Hocks  clean,  strong,  well  let  down,  bent  and  turn- 
ing neither  in  nor  out,  the  hind  quarters  from  a  back  view  presenting  an 
impressive  combination  of  propelling  power.  Feet  neither  small  nor 
large,  round,  firm,  not  spreading,  and  with  deep,  strong,  horny  pads  and 
plenty  of  hair  between  the  toes.     They  should  turn  neither  in  nor  out. 

Stern. — Should  be  set  on  and  carried  level  with  the  back,  and  when 
at  work  its  action  should  be  incessant  in  this,  the  brightest  and  merriest 
of  the  whole  spaniel  family. 

Coat. — Flat  or  slightly  waved,  silky  and  very  dense,  with  ample  setter- 
like feather. 

Colour  and  Markings. — Blacks  should  be  jet  black,  and  reds,  livers, 
etc.,  should  never  be  of  faded  or  "washy'*  shades,  but  of  good  sound  colours. 
White  on  the  chest  of  self-colours,  while  objectionable,  should  not  dis- 
qualify. 

Weight. — Not  under  eighteen  nor  exceeding  twenty-four  pounds. 

General  Description. — Embodying  the  foregoing,  i.  e.,  a  neat-headed, 
wide-awake,  serviceable-looking  little  dog  with  an  expression  of  great 
intelligence,  short  in  body  when  viewed  from  above,  yet  standing  over 
considerable  ground  for  one  of  his  inches  upon  strong,  straight  front  legs, 
with  wide,  muscular  quarters  suggestive  of  immense  power,  especially 
when  viewed  from  behind.  A  downward  tendency  in  front  he  ought  not 
to  possess,  but  should  stand  well  up  at  the  shoulders  like  the  clever  little 
sporting  dog  that  he  is.  Massive  in  appearance  by  reason  of  his  sturdy 
body,  powerful  quarters  and  strong,  well-boned  limbs,  he  should  never- 
theless impress  one  as  being  a  dog  capable  of  considerable  speed  combined 


264 


The  Dog  Book 


with  great  powers  of  endurance,  and  in  all  his  movements  he  should  be 
quick  and  merry,  with  an  air  of  alertness  and  a  carriage  of  head  and  stern 
suggestive  of  an  inclination  to  work. 

Scale  of  Points 


Skull 8 

Muzzle 10 

Eyes 7 

Ears 4 

Neck  and  Shoulders 15 

Body 18 


Legs  and  Feet 18 

Stern 5 

Coat 10 

Colour  and  Marking 5 

Total 100 


LONGMV.ND  MYFANWV       LUNi.;,\IV\D  MI^GAN         Hi.NGMVNU 
Championship  Winner  MEKVYN 

The  property  of  Mrs.  H.  D.  Greerc,  Shropshire,  Englantl.     The  three  Lont;myn(l5  ar< 


ROCK 
Championship  Winner 
;  litter,  ^ini  all  four  clogs  are  first  prize  i 


DASH    II. 

Bred  by  Mr.  E    M.  OMham  from  imported  Norfolk  Spaniels.     Winner  of  second  in  a  class  for  large  spaniels  at  the  New  York  Faui-.ers    Show. 

Madison  Square  Garden,  1886 


CHAPTER  XV 

The  Norfolk  Spaniel 


O  more  useful  dog  exists  than  the  variety  of  spaniel  known 
many  years  ago  as  the  Norfolk.  At  least,  that  was  the 
name  given  it  about  London  and  the  sections  of  England 
we  then  knew,  which  was  as  far  west  as  Oxford  and  pretty 
well  through  the  Midlands.  Generally  he  was  simply 
called  a  spaniel,  but  when  it  came  to  a  question  as  to  a  variety,  then  he 
was  a  Norfolk  and  was  supposed  to  be  excellent  as  a  water  dog  as  well 
as  for  the  man  who  owned  but  one  general-purpose  dog. 

Even  if  the  efforts  of  the  English  Spaniel  Club  to  encourage  the  breed- 
ing, improvement  and  showing  of  this  dog  have  not  met  with  much  success, 
they  have  at  least  given  a  name  to  what  has  been  for  years  the  common 
or  "garden"  variety  of  spaniel  throughout  England.  A  workman  all 
over,  well  built,  good  legs  of  fair  length,  neither  making  him  look  leggy 
nor  short  on  the  leg,  no  approach  to  what  can  be  called  "length  of  body," 
nor  exaggeration  of  any  kind,  the  Norfolk  has  not  as  yet  fallen  a  victim 
to  "fancy"  and  been  improved  out  of  his  sphere  of  usefulness. 

Of  course  the  obvious  had  to  be  ignored  by  late  writers  as  to  the  origin 
of  the  name,  and  even  the  usually  trustworthy  Dalziel  is  found  surmising 
that  this  was  the  Duke  of  Norfolk's  breed,  hence  the  name.  Lee  follows 
suit  and  quotes  Youatt  as  to  the  Duke  getting  the  black  and  tan  by  crossing 
the  terrier.  Lee  also  says  that  as  the  liver  and  white  and  ticked  spaniel 
was  met  with  everywhere,  he  does  not  see  why  it  should  be  called  Norfolk. 
We  know  what  Shakespeare  wrote  about  a  name,  but  as  this  variety  of 
spaniel  was  not  only  well  known  in  the  county  which  called  for  a  dog  fit 
for  work  on  land  and  in  water,  but  had  the  appearance  of  being  exactly 
fitted  for  the  sports  associated  with  Norfolk  and  the  east  coast,  it  is  a  name 
far  more  appropriate  than  many  which  have  been  given  to  dogs,  besides  which 
it  was  named  a  Norfolk  when  they  had  or  knew  of  Sussex  and  Clumbers. 

As  for  any  association  of  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  with  this  breed,  that 
is  quite  erroneous,  for  the  Duke  of  Norfolk's  spaniels — that  is,  the  spaniels 

265 


266  The  Dog  Book 

which  were  particularly  associated  with  the  Duke  of  that  name  about  one 
hundred  years  ago,  and  the  only  dogs  ever  so  associated  with  the  name — 
were  what  we  know  as  King  Charles  spaniels. 

*^ Craven,"  in  his  "Young  Sportsman's  Manual,"  writes:  "The 
spaniel  tribe  is  a  numerous  one,  and  variously  designated,  from  the  beau- 
tiful little  creature  known  as  Charles  the  Second's  or  the  Duke  of  Norfolk's 
breed,  to  the  handsome  springer."  To  support  this  opinion  regarding  the 
Duke  of  Norfolk's  spaniels,  we  find  in  Colonel  Hamilton's  "Recollections" 
a  reference  which  seemingly  coincides  with  "Craven's"  statement.  In 
the  chapter  which  treats  of  shooting  dogs  he  says  in  his  remarks  upon  span- 
iels: "Crowned  heads  have  condescended  to  patronise  these  dogs,  par- 
ticularly Charles  the  Second,  who  rarely  walked  out  without  two  or  three 
beautiful  animals  attending  him."  Here  an  asterisk  for  a  footnote  is  inserted, 
the  note  being:  "The  breed  of  spaniels  belonging  to  the  late  Duke  of 
Norfolk  was  highly  prized  by  him,  and  there  was  much  difficulty  in  obtain- 
ing one  from  the  Duke.  He  gave  one  to  the  Duchess  of  York,  on  con- 
dition that  Her  Royal  Highness  would  make  a  solemn  promise  not  to 
breed  from  the  dog  in  a  direct  line."  Taken  by  itself,  this  note,  although 
connected  by  the  asterisk  with  the  reference  to  the  King  Charles  breed, 
would  imply  nothing,  but  in  conjunction  with  what  "Craven"  wrote  it 
bears  the  same  construction,  that  they  were  small  black  and  tans.  The 
Duke  of  York  commanded  the  English  troops  which  were  sent  to  Holland 
at  the  end  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  Colonel  Hamilton,  then  a  cornet 
in  the  Scots  Greys,  saw  service  there,  and  it  was  owing  to  his  successfully 
carrying  despatches  to  the  Prince  of  Orange  under  rather  trying  circum- 
stances for  a  boy,  such  as  he  then  was,  that  on  his  return  he  was  sent  for 
by  the  Duke  and  mentioned  in  his  despatches,  was  promoted,  and  thereby 
eventually  secured  advancement  without  purchase.  We  mention  this 
merely  to  show  that  he  would  be  likely  to  take  some  interest  in  anything 
connected  with  the  Duke,  and  we  further  find  this  with  reference  to  the 
Duchess:  "The  late  Duchess  of  York  was  very  partial  to  the  canine 
race.  Her  Royal  Highness  might  constantly  be  seen  walking  in  the  gardens 
of  Oatlands  with  her  dogs.  Amongst  them  might  be  seen  the  Newfound- 
land dog,  the  Italian  greyhound,  pugs,  terriers  and  spaniels."  One  can 
hardly  fancy  that  the  Duchess  would  be  so  anxious  to  get  a  black-and-tan 
springer  as  to  comply  with  the  Duke's  condition. 

From  the  Southey  collection  of  anecdotes  we  take  this  clinching  quota- 


The  Norfolk  Spaniel  267 

tion,  which  leaves  no  unsettled  question  as  to  the  Duke's  specialty:  "Our 
Marlborough  and  King  James's  spaniels  are  unrivalled  in  beauty.  The 
latter  breed,  that  are  black  and  tan,  with  hair  almost  approaching  to  silk 
in  fineness  (such  as  Vandyke  loved  to  introduce  into  his  portraits),  were 
solely  in  the  possession  of  the  late  Duke  of  Norfolk.  He  never  travelled 
without  two  of  his  favourites  in  the  carriage.  When  at  Worksop  he  used 
to  feed  his  eagles  with  the  pups,  and  a  stranger  to  his  exclusive  pride  in 
the  race,  seeing  him  once  thus  destroying  a  whole  litter,  told  His  Grace 
how  much  he  should  be  delighted  to  possess  one  of  them.  The  Duke's 
reply  was  a  characteristic  one:  'Pray,  sir,  which  of  my  estates  should 
you  like  to  have  .^'  " 

In  America  quite  a  number  of  the  old-fashioned  sort  are  to  be  met 
with,  more  particularly  about  old  settlements,  where  work  for  a  dog  of 
semi-aquatic  habits  can  be  advantageously  used.  Mr.  D.  S.  Hammond, 
of  Boston,  informed  us  some  time  ago  that  in  the  outlying  districts  about 
Boston  they  are  quite  numerous,  and  we  can  speak  as  to  the  frequency 
with  which  they  are  met  about  the  Hackensack  meadows.  In  the  village 
of  that  name  we  have  seen  at  least  half  a  dozen  businesslike  dogs  about 
the  streets,  doubtless  the  descendants  of  dogs  originally  brought  for  the 
mixed  shooting  which  the  meadows  afforded  so  plentifully  in  the  days  of 
Frank  Forester. 

We  fully  agree  with  Mr.  Lee  when  he  writes  in  "Modern  Dogs'*: 
**Liver-and-white  spaniels,  almost  infinite  in  shape  and  size,  may  be  seen 
running  about  the  streets  in  any  country  place.  The  sporting  shopkeeper 
considers  him  the  best  shooting  dog;  and  so  he  may  be  when  properly 
trained,  for  he  is  a  leggier,  closer  and  better-coated  dog  than  the  ordinary 
spaniel  we  see  when  standing  at  the  ringside.  He  will  retrieve  well  from 
both  land  and  water,  work  a  hedge-row  or  thick  covert,  and  indeed  do 
anything  that  is  the  special  work  of  the  spaniel.  Some  of  these  liver-and- 
white  spaniels  are  comparatively  mute,  whilst  others  are  terribly  noisy, 
yelping  and  giving  tongue  when  hunting  almost  as  freely  as  a  hound.  Still 
the  chances  are  that  the  rustic  sportsman  who  keeps  but  one  dog  and  has 
not  accommodation  for  more,  prefers  a  liver-and-white  spaniel,  be  it  Nor- 
folk or  otherwise,  and  as  a  rule,  Jf  he  be  not  addicted  to  poaching,  prefers 
it  to  make  a  noise  when  rabbiting  in  the  dense  gorse  coverts." 

To  describe  what  we  have  always  known  as  the  Norfolk  spaniel  is 
a  very  easy  task.     He  is  a  dog  of  no  exaggerations,  except  perhaps  in  the 


268  The  Dog  Book 

decidedly  heavy  feathering  of  the  ears  as  compared  with  the  rather  short, 
businessHke  coat,  which  has  not  the  length  of  the  other  varieties  of  spaniels, 
and,  as  in  the  case  of  many  water  dogs,  has  sometimes  a  crisp  wave  along 
the  back.  Under  no  circumstances  should  it  be  curly  on  the  body,  or 
show  any  topknot.  The  head  should  not  be  heavy  nor  stumpy,  but  well- 
proportioned,  with  good  length  of  muzzle  and  a  good  mouth  of  level  teeth. 
There  is  a  smarter  look  about  the  eyes  than  in  that  of  the  cocker  or  the 
heavy  Clumber  and  Sussex.  The  feet  should  suit  a  dog  whose  work  takes 
him  into  marshes  and  who  has  to  do  considerable  swimming.  As  to  the 
rest,  it  is  pretty  much  plain,  useful,  capable  dog— legs  straight,  shoulders 
sloping,  neck  of  good  length,  back  level  and  strong,  ribs  well  sprung,  giving 
him  a  good  barrel,  and  strong  hind  quarters,  with  not  too  much  bend  m 
stifles,  and  no  turning  in  or  out  of  hocks.  Colour  is  stated  by  all 
authors,  and  is  given  in  the  English  Spaniel  Club  description  as  liver 
and  white  or  black  and  white.  The  latter  perhaps  is  a  Norfolk  colour, 
but  we  do  not  recall  any  but  liver  and  white,  well  broken  up  in  colour, 
and  generally  as  much  white  as  liver.  In  fact,  a  white  with  liver  mark- 
ings well  distributed  and  ticked  with  liver  throughout  the  white,  but  not  to 
the  extent  of  smothering  the  white;  not  a  dark  "Belton,"  but  clean,  dis- 
tinct ticking. 

This  is  a  dog  that  might  well  be  fostered  by  the  Spaniel  Club  of  Amer- 
ica, for  its  usefulness  is  universally  acknowledged  and  it  is  a  variety  that 
calls  for  no  education  on  the  part  of  the  public  to  understand  that  he  is 
of  the  spaniel  family  and  a  workman.  He  may  not  be  up  to  the  weight 
and  strength  called  for  in  goose  shooting  in  a  tideway,  but  for  ducks  he  is 
all  one  needs,  and  he  neither  takes  up  much  room  nor  does  he  bring  in  a 
heavy  water-soaked  coat  to  the  blind  or  boat.  In  that  respect  he  is  as 
good  as  the  Chesapeake  Bay  dog. 

The   English   Spaniel   Club's   points   and   description   are   as   follows; 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Head.— SkuW  long  and  rather  narrow;    a  stop;    the  muzzle  long  and 
broad  at  the  end. 

Eyes. — Rather  small,  bright  and  intelligent. 
Neck. — Long,  strong,  slightly  arched. 
Ears. — Long,  low  set,  lobular. 


The  Norfolk  Spaniel  269 

Body  (including  size  and  symmetry). — Fairly  heavy  body;  legs  rather 
longer  than  in  other  field  spaniels,  but  not  so  long  as  in  Irish.     Medium  size. 

Nose. — Large  and  soft. 

Shoulders  and  Chest. — Shoulders  long  and  sloping;  chest  deep  and 
fairly  broad. 

Back  and  Loin. — Back  flat  and  strong;   loin  rather  long,  flat  and  strong. 

Hind  Quarters. — Long,  hocks  well  let  down;  stifles  moderately  bent 
and  not  twisted  inward  nor  outward. 

Stern. — Docked,  low  carried,  i.  e.,  not  above  the  level  of  the  back. 

Feet  and  Legs. — Strong-boned  legs,  inclining  to  shortness;  feet  large 
and  rather  flat 

Coat. — Hard,  nqt  woolly;   not  curly,  but  may  be  broken. 

Colour. — Liver  and  white  and  black  and  white. 

General  Appearance. — An  active,  useful,  medium-sized  dog. 

We  have  but  one  objection  to  the  above  description,  and  that  is  "loin 
rather  long."  With  such  an  elastic  definition  it  would  not  take  long  to 
have  "rather  long'*  an  equivalent  for  quite  long,  and  then,  when  they  were 
all  of  that  kind,  the  winners  would  be  selected  from  the  rather  long,  which, 
as  compared  with  what  we  would  now  think  rather  long,  would  be  extremely 
long.  A  loin  that  looks  at  all  long  is  not  wanted;  in  fact,  the  Norfolk 
should  closely  resemble  a  large  cocker  as  to  conformation,  and  without 
clumsiness.  The  negative  points  are  well  chosen,  for  the  aptitude  is  to 
get  the  tail  up  a  little  too  high,  while  the  topknot  is  out  of  the  question  in 
any  spaniel  other  than  the  Irish  water  spaniel. 

Scale  of  Points 

positive  points  negative  points 

Head,  Jaw  and  Eyes.  ...      20         Carriage  of  Stern 5 

Ears 10         Topknot 5 

Neck 10        ^  

Body 10                         ^                                  10 

Fore  Legs 10 

Hind  Legs 10 

Feet 5 

Stern 5 

Coat  and  Feather 10 

General  Appearance  ....  10 

100 


CHAPTER  XVI 

The  Welsh  Spaniel  or  Springer 

FEW  years  ago  we  heard  of  a  new  variety  of  spaniel,  for 
which  the  name  of  Welsh  was  claimed,  and  recalled  that 
the  spaniels  of  Wales  and  of  Devonshire  were  in  the  days 
of  Stonehenge  described  as  liver  and  liver  and  white;  but 
these  later-day  Taffies  were  said  to  be  white  with  some 
red  markings.  It  was  claimed  that  this  colour  combination  was  quite 
exclusive  and  was  not  an  English  spaniel  colour,  and  that  these  dogs  differed 
from  other  spaniels.  As  to  the  first  claim,  it  was  made  in  ignorance  of 
many  positive  facts,  while  the  appearance  of  the  dogs  when  exhibited 
amply  proved  that  unless  provided  with  classes  for  themselves  they  could 
not  be  very  successful.  Those  interested  in  getting  recognition  for  this 
variety  made  good  use  of  the  kennel  press,  and  the  case  was  summed  up 
and  decided  in  favour  of  the  claimants  by  one  of  the  supporters  of  the 
claim.  Classes  were  obtained  at  one  or  two  shows,  and  finally  the  Kennel 
Club  gave  recognition  to  the  variety  as  the  Welsh  springer.  Several  years 
have  elapsed  since  that  time,  but  nothing  like  decided  progress  has  been 
made,  and  at  the  Kennel  Club  and  Birmingham  shows,  which  are  about 
the  only  ones  of  any  importance  which  have  given  classes  for  the  variety, 
the  support  has  not  been  at  all  encouraging;  from  six  to  a  dozen  entries 
being  the  result  at  the  latest  shows  by  the  clubs  named. 

Americans  seldom  take  up  a  variety  or  breed  that  is  not  popular  in 
its  own  country  or  in  England,  or  has  merits  above  those  of  kin  thereto, 
and  judged  by  that  standard  there  is  no  great  likelihood  of  Welsh  springers 
being  taken  hold  of  here.  No  description  is  necessary,  as  the  dog  is  an 
ordinary,  rather  leggy  spaniel,  marked  with  red  or  red-orange  on  a  white 
ground. 

The  prefix  "Welsh"  has  become  quite  useful  of  late  in  England,  for 
when  the  effort  of  reviving  the  old  rough  black-and-tan  terrier  was  proving 
successful,  the  cry  of  "Welsh"  was  raised,  and  that  name  was  decided 
upon  by  the  Kennel  Club  in  place  of  "Old  English  terrier."     It  is  no  more 

271 


272  The  Dog  Book 

a  Welsh  dog  than  are  hounds  bred  in  Wales  entitled  to  be  called  Welsh. 
We  have  some  fifty  illustrations  of  terriers  made  before  1825,  and  dating 
back  to  the  preceding  century,  and  the  rough  black  and  tan  is  more  promi- 
nent than  any  variety.  Those  v^^ho  drew,  engraved  or  etched  these  dogs 
lived  as  far  from  Wales,  by  the  standard  of  difficulty  of  communication 
and  travel,  as  a  New  Yorker  is  from  Nome,  and  we  can  safely  say  knew 
nothing  of  dogs  in  Wales.  We  also  have  seen  as  many  drawings  of  coloured 
spaniels  of  that  period,  and  the  Welsh  red  and  white  is  just  as  prevalent 
as  are  the  terriers  referred  to.  All  this  in  addition  to  the  description  of 
the  springers  about  London  a  century  ago,  as  given  in  Thorburn's  "Shoot- 
ing Directory,"  quoted  from  in  the  chapter  on  the  cocker  spaniel. 


"BIDDY   SULLIVAN" 

Owned  by  E.  A.  Swift,  Seattle,  and  a  leading  show  dog  of  the  coast 


ERINS   FLOAT 
Particularly  good  in  head  and  face.     Property  of  Rev.  T.  Moore  Smith,  Scotch  Plains.  N.  T. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

Irish  Water  Spaniel 

HERE  are  few  more  tantalising  subjects  for  a  dog  man  who 
wants  to  find  out  things  than  how  the  Irish  water  spaniel 
was  developed.  Here  is  a  dog  with  more  marked  peculiari- 
ties than  any  sporting  breed  that  can  be  named,  which  was 
improved,  manufactured  or  developed  almost  by  one  man, 
or  at  least  in  one  man's  Hfetime;  yet  neither  from  this  Justin  McCarthy 
nor  from  any  of  his  contemporaries  did  there  come  a  single  word  as  to  how 
the  breed  was  made,  if  by  them;  nor  where  and  from  whom  it  came  to 
them,  if  they  did  not  make  it. 

It  was  not  until  1859  that  anything  tangible  was  known  about  this 
water  spaniel  in  England.  That  year  Mr.  McCarthy  wrote  a  description 
and  gave  a  few  particulars  regarding  the  breed  which  he  had  developed, 
and  by  that  means  it  became  known,  but  he  gave  no  history  of  it,  nor  any- 
thing regarding  its  origin.  Mr.  McCarthy  said  he  had  owned  them  for 
thirty  years,  but  nothing  as  to  how  or  from  whom  he  got  them. 

Our  research  for  earlier  references  to  water  spaniels  in  Ireland  has 
produced  nothing.  Colonel  Hamilton  never  once  mentions  them,  though 
at  the  early  part  of  the  last  century  he  was  in  the  south  of  Ireland,  where 
the  breed  is  claimed  to  have  originated;  this  variety  being  known  as  one 
of  two  or  perhaps  three  Irish  varieties,  and  named  the  South  of  Ireland  or 
McCarthy  breed.  One  or  two  books  on  Irish  sports  were  no  more  pro- 
ductive, and  the  only  reference  to  a  dog  bearing  any  resemblance  to  the 
one  in  question  is  Captain  Brown's  description  of  what  he  calls  the  large 
water  spaniel.  He  mentions  the  large  water  dog,  and  the  lesser  water 
spaniel  or  poodle,  each  of  which  is  stated  to  have  a  ringlet  coat  or  one 
showing  length.  This  large  water  spaniel,  however,  is  quite  different, 
and  whether  he  was  a  half-bred  Irish  spaniel  or  of  the  same  foundation 
stock,  we  leave  to  the  imagination  of  the  reader.  We  cannot  help  thinking 
that  this  is  the  same  dog,  for  very  certainly  if  we  omit  the  white  markmgs 
from  this  description  it  would  be  a  good  one  of  the  tousle-topped  Irishman. 

273 


274  The  Dog  Book 

Captain  Brown's  description,  published  in  1829,  is  as  follows:  "The 
large  water  spaniel  is  about  the  size  of  an  ordinary  setter,  but  much  stronger 
in  the  bone  and  shorter  in  the  legs.  His  head  is  long  and  his  muzzle  mod- 
erately acute;  his  face  is  quite  smooth,  as  well  as  the  front  of  his  legs;  his 
ears  are  long,  which,  together  with  his  whole  body,  is  covered  with  deep 
hair,  consisting  of  firm,  small  and  distinctly  crisped  curls,  not  unlike  those 
of  a  wig;  his  tail  is  rather  short  and  clothed  with  curled  hair.  His  hair 
is  very  differently  curled  from  the  great  water  dog  and  poodle  [this  poodle 
he  calls  also  the  smaller  water  dog],  as  that  of  the  two  latter  consists  of 
long  and  pendulous  curls.  His  general  colour  is  a  dark  liver  brown,  with 
white  legs,  neck  and  belly;  and  is  sometimes  though  rarely  to  be  met  with 
all  black  or  with  a  black  body  and  white  neck  and  legs."  What  "deep 
hair"  is  we  are  at  a  loss  to  explain. 

The  foregoing  should  be  compared  with  Mr.  McCarthy's  description, 
given  in  1859.  "In  the  North  the  dog  has  generally  short  ears  without  any 
feather,  and  is  very  often  a  pied  white  and  brown  colour;  in  the  South 
the  dog  is  of  a  pure  liver  colour,  with  long  ears,  and  well  curled,  with  short, 
stiff  curls  all  over  the  body.  The  present  improved  and  fancy  breed, 
called  McCarthy's  breed,  should  run  thus :  Dogs  from  twenty-one  to  twenty- 
two  and  a  half  inches  (seldom  higher  when  pure  bred),  head  rather  capacious, 
forehead  prominent,  face  from  eyes  down  perfectly  smooth,  ears  from 
twenty-four  to  twenty-six  inches  from  point  to  point.  The  head  should 
be  crowned  with  a  well-defined  topknot,  not  straggling  across  like  the 
common  rough  water  dog,  but  coming  down  in  a  peak  on  the  forehead. 
The  body  should  be  clothed  with  short,  crisp  curls,  which  often  become 
clogged  in  the  moulting  season.  The  tail  should  be  round,  without 
feather  underneath,  rather  short,  and  as  stiff  as  a  ramrod;  the  colour  of 
a  pure  puce  liver,  without  any  white.'* 

Captain  Brown,  after  stating  that  he  is  not  very  useful  for  setting,  but 
an  excellent  wild-fowl  dog,  concludes  with  this  remark:  "The  native 
country  of  this  dog  is  Spain;  but  we  conceive  that  the  variety  we  possess, 
which  is  a  very  distinct  one,  is  not  the  pure  breed  as  originally  imported 
into  this  country,  but  that  it  is  the  produce  of  the  large  water  dog  and  the 
English  setter,  as  it  appears  to  be  intermediate  between  them,  not  only  in 
figure,  but  also  in  their  united  qualities." 

The  speculation  of  the  Captain  can  be  taken  for  what  it  is  considered 
worth,  but  we  must  not  overlook  his  statement  of  fact,  that  the  variety 


PAT    HAINEY 
A  winner  at  Chicago,  1905.     An  immense  dog  weighing  105  pounds.     Owned  by  W.  Fleming,  of  Joliet,  111 


CHAMPION    DAN    McCARTHY 
One  of  the  many  winners  exhibited  by  Mr.  T.  A.  Carson,  of  Kingston,  Ont. 


Irish  Water  Spaniel  275 

"is  a  very  distinct  one,"  and  that  is  just  what  the  variety  is  to-day  and 
has  been  since  he  has  been  known,  or  was  resurrected,  in  1859.  It  is 
to  be  noted  that  no  mention  is  made  of  the  variety,  which  Captain  Brown 
thus  describes,  as  being  restricted  to  any  portion  of  the  Kingdom,  nor  that 
it  was  in  any  sense  an  Irish  dog;  yet  with  the  exception  of  the  white  markings 
his  description  talHes  with  that  of  the  Irish  water  spaniel,  and  neither 
book  nor  illustration  issued  before  the  time  of  his  description  mentions  or 
shows  any  such  dog  as  being  an  English  dog. 

It  is  possible  that  Mr.  McCarthy,  by  judicious  breeding,  got  rid  of  the 
white  and  at  last  secured  the  whole-coloured  dog.  The  Irish  fancy  seemed 
to  run  to  all-red  dogs,  for  we  have  the  blood-red  setter,  this  spaniel  and  the 
red  or  red  wheaten  terrier,  the  three  dogs  of  Ireland,  for  the  wolfhound  is  a 
made  breed. 

That  the  breed  was  thoroughly  established  at  the  time  Mr.  McCarthy 
described  it  is  beyond  dispute,  and  we  regret  to  say  he  is  not  as  prominent 
at  the  present  time  as  was  the  case  twenty  years  ago.  At  that  time  there 
were  in  England  and  America  many  excellent  dogs,  the  like  of  which  it  is 
hard  to  find  to-day  in  either  country.  He  seems  to  have  lost  the  popularity 
in  which  he  was  held  at  that  time,  and  in  America  at  least  he  is  but  little 
used.  One  or  two  specimens  are  shown  at  the  Eastern  and  Middle  States 
shows,  but  they  are  anything  but  common.  About  Ottawa  and  Kingston 
there  are  more  than  anywhere  else  that  we  know  of,  except  on  the  northern 
Pacific  coast,  where  they  are  used  for  wild-fowl  shooting,  as  are  also  the 
Chesapeake  Bay  dogs.  The  moist  climate  of  that  country  suits  the  coats 
of  both  of  these  dogs,  and  we  were  agreeably  surprised  to  see  such  a  nice 
exhibit  of  both  breeds  when  at  Seattle  in  1904. 

At  the  time  Mr.  C.  H.  Mason  and  Mr.  Skidmore  were  showing  in 
England  there  was  no  lack  of  good  Irish  water  spaniels,  and  many  of  them 
were  brought  to  this  country  at  that  time.  Those  who  can  recall  the  number 
and  excellence  of  the  dogs  owned  at  Chicago  and  Milwaukee  at  the  time 
we  refer  to  will  bear  us  out  in  our  statement  regarding  the  quality  of  the 
dogs  of  that  period  compared  with  the  paucity  of  competition  and  compara- 
tive inferiority  of  the  exhibits  of  late  years. 

Of  those  who  did  good  service  for  the  breed  we  may  mention  Mr.  W.  H. 
Holabird,  of  Valparaiso,  Ind.;  Mr.  John  D.  Olcott  and  Mr.  H.  D.  Gardner, 
of  Milwaukee;  Mr.  J.  H.  Whitman,  of  Chicago;  Mr.  T.  Donoghue,  of 
La  Salle,  111.;  Mr.  C.  B.  Rodes,  of  Moberly,  Mo.;  and  Doctor  Daniels,  of 


276  The  Dog  Book 

Cleveland.  From  this  partial  list  of  owners  it  will  be  seen  that  they  were 
owned  in  the  ducking  districts  of  the  West,  and  when  these  owners  and 
others  like  them  lost  interest  in  the  breed  no  one  else  seemed  willing  to 
fill  their  places.  At  one  time  we  thought  that  the  giving  up  of  Irish  water 
spaniels  was  on  account  of  sportsmen  preferring  the  shorter-coated  Chesa- 
peake, for  a  full-sized  Irish  spaniel  is  by  no  means  a  pleasant  neighbour  in 
a  boat  or  blind  when  he  comes  in  from  a  swim.  That  solution  would  not 
answer,  however,  for  the  Chesapeake  was  as  scarce  throughout  the  western 
ducking  grounds  of  lUinois  and  Missouri  as  the  Irish.  Then  it  became 
apparent  that  the  times  had  changed;  our  sportsmen  in  place  of  accepting 
what  English  writers  advised  in  the  way  of  dogs,  formed  their  own  con- 
clusions and  adopted  what  they  wanted  and  found  useful. 

Our  duck  hunters  learned  that  a  dog  was  not  an  absolute  necessity, 
as  was  the  case  in  quail  or  grouse  shooting,  and  as  soon  as  that  was  realised 
the  boom  of  the  Irish  water  spaniel  terminated.  The  bulk  of  the  duck 
shooting  is  done  on  still  water  in  the  West,  and  as  Mr.  Joseph  A.  Graham 
aptly  quotes  a  Missouri  ducker:  "It  is  as  easy  to  pick  up  the  ducks  as 
the  decoys  when  through  shooting."  That  is  the  reason  for  the  decline  of 
the  Irish  water  spaniel  in  this  country,  and  a  duck  hunter,  when  he  wants 
a  dog,  takes  anything  that  will  retrieve.  There  are  plenty  of  setters, 
spaniels  and  half-breeds  that  will  do  that  and  be  useful  in  other  ways. 
It  is  almost  as  a  curiosity  that  we  must  now  view  the  Irish  water  spaniel, 
and  not  as  an  essential  in  wild-fowl  shooting,  except  in  certain  situations, 
such  as  tidal  or  running  waters,  where  quick  recovery  of  shot  birds  is 
necessary,  and  in  weather  which  calls  for  a  strong  dog,  well  clothed  and 
able  to  do  the  hard  work  of  retrieving  under  such  circumstances. 

Of  the  dogs  of  fame  in  this  country,  there  were  some  which  would 
make  many  of  the  later-day  champions  look  decidedly  common.  Such 
a  dog  was  Mr.  Olcott's  Barney,  though  it  was  to  Mr.  Holabird,  of  Valparaiso, 
Ind.,  that  we  owed  the  introduction  of  this  excellent  dog  and  his  mate 
Judy,  both  from  Mr.  Skidmore's  kennels.  Another  good  one  was  Mike, 
also  by  the  same  sire,  Skidmore's  Shamrock.  Barney  was  the  better  by  a 
good  deal,  but  he  had  not  the  perpetual  youth  of  Mike,  whose  maximum 
catalogue  age  was  five  years  for  some  time.  From  these  two  dogs  there 
were  many  descendants  in  the  West,  for  Mike,  after  being  shown  by  Mr. 
W.  B.  Wells,  of  Chatham,  passed  into  the  hands  of  Olcott  and  Whitman 
and  then  to  Mr.  Olcott,  as  the  Excelsior  Irish  Water  Spaniel  Club.      Mr. 


Irish  Water  Spaniel  277 

H.  D.  Gardner,  of  Milwaukee,  was  quite  an  extensive  breeder  about  1880, 
and  at  one  New  York  show  had  a  string  of  nine.  Old  Irish  Nell  being  at 
the  head  of  eight  of  her  progeny,  some  nearly  three  years  old,  and  in  the 
following  year  the  entire  entry  of  seven  were  of  his  breeding. 

The  interest  in  the  Irish  water  spaniel  was  almost  entirely  Western, 
and  at  one  Chicago  show  that  we  remember  there  were  more  than  twenty 
of  the  breed  shown,  including  Mr.  Donoghue's  Count  Bendigo,  a  great 
winner  in  his  day,  and  an  American-bred  dog  at  that.  The  Milwaukee 
combination  was  still  the  strongest  when  it  came  to  making  a  good  display, 
and  when  Mr.  Olcott  imported  The  O'Donoghue  from  the  Skidmore  kennels 
he  got  a  dog  that  many  considered  the  best  ever  shown;  but  we  never  thought 
him  the  equal  of  old  Barney,  though  he  certainly  was  a  very  fine  dog  and 
sired  a  number  of  good  puppies.  Mr.  Olcott  also  had  Chippewa  Belle,  a 
daughter  of  old  Irish  Queen,  who  was  by  Champion  Barney.  Chippewa's 
sire  was  Dan,  who  was  by  Champion  Mike,  the  Shamrock  dog.  Now  if 
those  who  grew  enthusiastic  over  The  O'Donoghue  had  transferred  their 
laudations  to  this  bitch  they  would  have  shown  good  judgment,  for,  when  in 
coat,  she  was  one  of  the  very  best  and  quite  capable  of  beating  the  dog. 
These  named  dogs  were  being  shown  about  twenty  years  ago,  and  when  they 
were  retired,  together  with  the  dogs  they  were  capable  of  defeating,  the 
ebb  set  in  with  a  vengeance  in  Irish  water  spaniels.  Patsy  O'Connor  bemg 
about  the  last  to  retire,  which  he  did  after  having  been  exhibited  for  seven 
or  eight  years,  most  of  the  time  as  the  property  of  Dr.  Daniels,  of  Cleveland. 

It  was  nothing  unusual  for  from  sixty  to  eighty  or  more  Irish  water 
spaniels  to  be  registered  in  the  course  of  a  year  at  that  time — eighty-three 
was  the  record  for  1886 — while  at  the  present  time  the  annual  entry  with 
the  American  Kennel  Club  may  reach  half  a  dozen,  but  does  not  always  do 
so.  Of  late  years  several  attempts  have  been  made  to  arouse  interest  in  the 
breed,  and  Mrs.  D.  H.  Evans,  who  originally  showed  Irish  and  field  spaniels 
about  ten  years  ago,  offered  the  very  handsome  Sunninghill  Challenge 
Cup  through  the  Spaniel  Club.  These  efl^orts  had  little  result,  and  we 
find  from  the  stud  book  for  1893  that  only  eleven  Irish  were  recorded  as 
having  won  prizes  that  year,  and  of  these  only  three  were  shown  in  the 
East.  There  were  two  at  the  New  York  show  and  one  other  dog  was 
shown  at  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Washington.  Of  the  remaining 
eight,  four  were  shown  on  the  Pacific  coast,  leaving  four  to  do  duty  between 
Pennsylvania  and  the  Rocky  Mountains.     It  was  at  this  stage  that  Mr. 


278  The  Dog  Book 

T.  A.  Carson,  of  Kingston,  Ont.,  took  up  the  breed,  and  he  has  very  con- 
sistently stuck  to  these  spaniels  ever  since.  We  remember  his  taking  a 
first  and  a  second  at  New  York  in  1895  with  Marguerite  and  Musha,  and 
the  next  year  he  brought  out  Mike,  a  dog  that  did  him  good  service,  though 
he  was  not  the  equal  of  Marguerite,  who  was  the  best  shown  either  at  New 
York  or  Chicago  in  1897.  The  following  year  Dan  Maloney  was  the  good 
one  from  Kingston,  and  he  won  in  every  class  shown  in  from  New  York  as 
far  as  San  Francisco,  where  we  think  he  was  sold.  Dan  McCarthy  and 
Mollie  C.  were  the  graduates  of  1899,  MoUie  C.  being  the  better  one.  Since 
then  we  have  not  had  quite  so  many  new  ones  sent  down  from  the  Canadian 
kennels,  but  Mr.  Carson  usually  levies  an  annual  tribute.  Although  he 
wins  more  than  any  of  his  competitors,  we  nevertheless  feel  assured  that 
he  will  admit  that  even  his  best  winners  are  not  the  equals  of  the  dogs  of  the 
Excelsior  Kennels,  when  that  was  at  its  best.  He  has  just  imported  a 
new  bitch,  of  which  he  writes  in  high  terms  of  praise. 

We  have  lately  seen  two  importations  from  Ireland,  Champion  Poor 
Pat  and  Erin's  Float,  now  the  property  of  the  Rev.  T.  Moore  Smith,  of 
Scotch  Plains,  N.  J.,  both  of  which  are  much  better  than  we  have  been  used 
to  of  late  years.  When  shown  in  good  coat  this  will  be  a  hard  pair  to 
beat,  the  bitch  being  exceedingly  typical  and  very  good  in  head. 

The  Spaniel  Club  has  adopted  or  imported  a  standard  for  this  variety 
of  spaniel  which  is  as  follows : 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Head  (Skull)  (value  10). — Is  by  no  means  long,  with  very  little  brow, 
but  moderately  wide.  It  is  covered  with  curls,  rather  longer  and  more 
open  than  those  of  the  body,  nearly  to  the  eyes,  but  not  so  as  to  be  wigged 
like  the  poodle. 

Face  and  Eyes  (value  10). — Are  very  peculiar.  Face  very  long  and 
quite  bare  of  curl;  the  hair  being  short  and  smooth  though  not  glossy; 
nose  broad,  and  nostrils  well  developed;  teeth  strong  and  level;  eyes  small 
and  set  almost  flush,  without  eyebrows. 

Topknot  (value  10). — Is  a  characteristic  of  the  true  breed,  and  is  esti- 
mated accordingly.  It  should  fall  between  and  over  the  eyes  in  a  peaked  form. 

Ears  (value  10). — Are  long,  the  leather  extending,  when  drawn  for- 
ward, a  little  beyond  the  nose,  and  the  curls  with  which  they  are  clothed 


Irish  Water  Spaniel  279 

two  or  three  inches  beyond.  The  whole  of  the  ears  are  thickly  covered 
with  curls,  which  gradually  lengthen  toward  the  tips. 

Chest  and  Shoulders  (value  J^). — There  is  nothing  remarkable  about 
these  points,  which  must,  nevertheless,  be  of  sufficient  dimensions  and 
muscularity.  The  chest  is  small  compared  with  most  breeds  of  similar 
substance. 

Back  and  Quarters  (value  7^). — Also  have  no  peculiarity,  but  the 
stifles  are  almost  always  straight,  giving  an  appearance  of  legginess. 

Legs  and  Feet  (value  10). — The  legs  should  be  straight,  and  the  feet 
large  but  strong;  the  toes  are  somewhat  open  and  covered  with  short  crisp 
curls.  In  all  dogs  of  this  breed  the  legs  are  thickly  clothed  with  short 
curls,  slightly  pendent  behind  and  at  the  sides,  and  some  have  them  all 
round,  hanging  in  ringlets  for  some  time  before  the  annual  shedding. 
No  feather  Hke  that  of  the  setter  should  be  shown.  The  front  of  the  hind 
legs  below  the  hocks  is  always  bare. 

Tail  (value  10). — Is  very  thick  at  the  root,  where  it  is  clothed  with 
very  short  hair.  Beyond  the  root,  however,  the  hair  is  perfectly  short, 
so  as  to  look  as  if  the  tail  had  been  clipped,  which  it  sometimes  fraudulently 
is  at  shows,  but  the  natural  bareness  of  the  tail  is  a  true  characteristic  of  the 
breed. 

Coat  (value  10). — Is  composed  of  short  curls  of  hair,  not  woolly, 
which  betrays  the  poodle  cross.  A  soft,  flossy  coat  is  objected  to  as  indica- 
tive of  an  admixture  with  some  of  the  land  spaniels. 

Colour  (value  10). — Must  be  a  deep  pure  liver  without  white;  but,  as 
In  other  breeds,  a  white  toe  will  occasionally  appear  with  the  best-bred 
litter. 

Symmetry  (value  5)  of  this  dog  is  not  very  great. 

Scale  of  Points 

Head 10        Legs  and  Feet 10 

Face  and  Eyes 10         Tail 10 

Topknot 10         Coat 10 

Ears 10         Colour 10 

Chest  and  Shoulders 7^       Symmetry 5 

Back  and  Quarters 7^  

Total    100 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

The  Pointer 

HE  more  we  have  read  on  the  subject  of  early  dogs  in 
England,  and  have  thought  over  and  studied  the  question 
of  the  introduction  of  the  pointer,  the  more  convinced 
are  v^e  that  the  pointer  was  simply  evolved  from  a  dog 
in  use  in  England  for  somewhat  similar  work,  just  as 
the  setter  was  developed  from  the  setting  spaniel.  We  are  inclined  to 
the  opinion  that  outside  of  hounds  for  the  chase,  dogs  for  field  sports  at 
or  about  1650  were  divided  up  in  this  manner.  A  dog  was  used  to  find 
deer  and  animals,  for  the  chase  and  coursing,  and  this  was  a  dog  of  the 
hound  variety;  another  was  the  spaniel,  used  to  spring  feathered  game  for 
the  hawk;  another  was  the  setting  spaniel  for  the  net;  and  then  came  the 
water  spaniel  for  wild-fowl  shooting.  At  this  stage  we  must  once  more 
consider  the  development  of  the  gun,  as  we  did  in  connection  with  the 
beginning  of  the  setter  in  a  previous  chapter.  We  now  refer  the  reader 
to  the  illustration  of  wild-duck  shooting,  in  which  it  will  be  well  to  note  the 
smooth  dog  as  well  as  the  spaniel.  The  weapon  in  use  is  the  matchlock. 
It  will  be  observed  that  the  gun  is  used  with  a  rest  to  steady  the  aim  during 
the  slow  process  of  firing  the  gun.  In  another  of  the  same  series  of  prints, 
that  of  fox  hunting  in  an  enclosure  of  nets,  one  of  the  sportsmen  is  firing 
his  matchlock  held  against  a  tree,  and  has  knocked  over  a  running  fox, 
showing  that  the  process  of  shooting  was  developing.  And  on  another  of 
these  prints  there  are  men  using  crossbows,  the  missile  weapons  referred 
to  by  Luther  when  he  wrote  of  having  gone  on  some  sporting  expedition. 
Our  collection  of  these  quaint  prints  consists  of  those  showing  the  chase  or 
capture  of  the  wolf,  boar,  deer,  hare,  rabbit,  badger,  porcupine,  and  duck 
shooting  and  hawking.  It  being  evident  that  they  were  part  of  a  series  of 
sporting  representations,  we  persevered  in  a  search  for  more  and  had  the 
good  fortune,  when  looking  for  another  book  in  the  Lenox  Library,  to  come 
across  the  complete  set  of  these  reproductions  of  paintings  by  Joannes 
Strada  or  Stradano  (Jan  van  der  Straet),  which  were  engraved  by  Philip 


4 


282  The  Dog  Book 

Galle,  or  Galleus,  and  published  at  Antwerp  in  1578.     Strada's  lifetime  is 
given  as  1536-16 12,  and  Galle's  as  153 7-1 6 12,  and,  as  there  are  more  than 
one  hundred  of  these  sporting  scenes,  occupying  in  painting  and  engraving 
considerable  time,  to  say  nothing  of  other  works  of  art  each  was  engaged 
upon,  we  may  say  with  confidence  that  they  were  painted  from  1560  to  1570. 
In  the  full  bound  collection  there  is  an  important  one  representing  a  smooth 
dog  resembling  the  smooth  one  in  the  duck-shooting  scene,  but  with  a  few 
spots  on  the  body.     It  is  standing,  with  one  raised  forefoot  and  is  pointing 
at  a  bevy  of  quail,  over  which  two  men  are  drawing  a  net  toward  the  dog. 
Strada  painted   most  of  his   dogs  rather  fat  and  podgy,  and  this  is  not 
an  exception.     A  representation  of  camel  shooting  on  a  seashore  shows 
two  sailors,  one  with  his  matchlock  resting  in  the  bend  of  his  elbow  when 
being  fired,  while  the  other  kneeling  is  firing  from  his  shoulder  with  his  left 
elbow  on  his  knee.    The  latter  style  is  also  shown  in  a  deer-shooting  scene 
with   the   stalking  horse.      Strada   never   gave   a   genuine   shooting  from 
the  shoulder  without  rest,  but  there  is  such  a  one  in  a  small  collection  of 
smaller  prints  representing  hunting,  fishing  and  fowling  from  paintings  by 
Hans  Bol,  1534-1593-    These  were  also  engraved  in  part  by  PhiHp  Galle, 
and  undoubtedly  show  sport  of  a  little  later  date  than  the  Strada  paintings. 
Some  of  the  guns  are  shorter  in  the  stock,  and  in  a  wolf-hunting  scene  a 
man  standing  erect  is  sjiooting  with  one  of  these  from  the  shoulder,  without 
rest,  at  a  wolf  attacked  by  dogs.    This  small  volume  was  issued  at  Brabant 
in  1582,  and  if  we  give  1575  as  a  very  late  date  for  the  painting  by  Bol  it 
throws  the  Strada  paintings  fully  ten  years  before  that. 

From  an  excellent  article  on  guns  published  in  the  Sporting  Magazine 
of  1792,  we  take  the  following:  "Still  the  crossbow  was  continued  long 
after  the  introduction  of  the  arquebuse,  and  not  dropped  entirely  till  toward 
the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century,  when  the  arquebuse  was  first  brought  to  the 
perfection  of  enabling  the  sportsman  to  shoot  flying.  But  such  was  the 
length  of  time  taken  to  improve  this  instrument  both  in  its  form  and  use, 
owing  to  its  advocates  and  enemies,  that  it  was  not  without  the  consumma- 
tion of  argument  in  Nicholas  Spadoni,  a  grave  Spaniard,  the  matchlock 
was  finally  proscribed  and  the  decided  superiority  awarded  to  the  sprmglock 
and  flint.  They  must  have  been,  indeed,  the  most  awkward  kind  of  locks 
imaginable,  if  some  people  could  reasonably  plead  for  the  quickness  of 
discharge  by  the  matchlocks  in  preference  to  them." 

The  engravings  referred  to  show  Continental  sports,  and  we  have  those 


DUCK   SHOOTING  WITH   THE    MATCHLOCK 

From  a  painting  doue  about  1560  by  Joannes  Strada 


LE   CHASSEUR   AU   VOL 

From  an  eneraving  of  a  paintinsr  by  J.  E    Ridinger,  about  1735 
Ridinger  also  painted  a  tracking  hound,  with  huntsman  in  same  costume,  the  hound  on  leash  being  white,  with  dark  head  markmgs 


The    Pointer  283 

of  Barlow  in  England,  some  of  which  we  have  already  used,  illustrating 
a  slightly  earlier  period,  about  1640-60,  but  showing  no  guns.  So  far 
we  have  not  succeeded  in  getting  any  prints  to'  cover  the  period  between 
1680  and  1700,  but  when  we  do  we  anticipate  finding  a  dog  doing  duty 
in  pointing  game  in  England  quite  as  early  as  he  is  to  be  found  on  the 
Continent.  This  dog  we  predict  will  be  the  dog  of  hound  type  that  had 
been  used  up  to  that  time  for  finding  game  for  coursing — a  dog  that  either 
naturally  or  by  training  found  and  pointed  the  quarry  and  stood  when 
so  doing,  so  as  to  be  seen.  When  sportsmen  got  a  gun  so  improved  as  to 
admit  of  shooting  flying  as  a  regular  and  not  as  occasional  practice,  which 
we  consider  was  possible  as  early  as  1680,  they  thereupon  made  use  of 
this  dog,  that  had  the  faculty  of  locating  game  and  stood  still  in  place  of 
rushing  on  as  the  spaniel  did  to  put  up  the  game. 

The  sportsman  had  to  get  this  old-fashioned  weapon  ready,  had  to 
see  that  the  priming  was  right  and  lift  the  lid  of  the  pan  holding  the  pow- 
der, before  advancing  to  shoot  the  game,  and  a  dog  that  would  stand  still 
was  necessary.  They  gave  to  this  dog  a  name  which  indicated  what  he 
did — point  to  where  the  game  was.  Had  he  come  from  abroad,  is  it  not 
likely  he  would  have  come  with  his  foreign  name  ^  The  same  kind  of 
dog  was  to  be  found  all  over  eastern  Europe,  and  under  various  renderings 
of  brach  is  still  used  as  we  use  the  pointer.  We  have  no  belief  that  the 
"pointer"  came  originally  from  Portugal  or  Spain,  and  was  not  known 
in  England  prior  to  dogs  being  so  imported.  If  such  had  been  the  case 
we  feel  certain  that  the  new  dog  would  have  had  a  somewhat  similar  name 
to  what  he  had  in  his  own  country,  in  place  of  which  the  importation  was 
known  as  the  Spanish  pointer.  That  to  our  mind  is  another  indication 
that  the  pointer  was  already  an  English  dog  and  the  foreigner  was  recog- 
nised as  a  variety. 

Let  us  take  a  similar  case  in  this  country.  For  nearly  one  hundred 
years  there  have  been  dogs  called  bloodhounds  in  America.  There  were 
also  Cuban  bloodhounds,  for  some  of  them  were  imported  to  Jamaica  at 
the  time  of  the  Maroon  War.  About  twenty  years  ago  some  bloodhounds 
were  imported  from  England,  and  we  gave  them,  and  still  give  them,  the 
name  of  English  bloodhounds.  Undoubtedly  the  American  bloodhound, 
which  is  merely  a  hound,  came  from  the  same  original  stock  of  black-and- 
tan  hounds  which  produced  the  English  variety,  but  they  were  bred  along 
different  lines  and  their  type  varied.     So  with  the  pointer  they  produced 


284  The  Dog  Book 

in  England,  and  the  varieties  found  in  Spain,  France,  Germany  and  Italy* 
All  of  these  dogs  were  originally  of  some  old  stock  which  had  been  dis- 
tributed throughout  eastern  Europe,  and  were  developed  for  use  as  gun 
dogs  in  keeping  with  the  process  of  development  of  the  gun. 

How  otherwise  are  we  to  account  for  the  extremely  sudden  distribu- 
tion of  this  new  breed  without  any  particular  comment  ?  In  "The  Gentle- 
man's Recreation,"  by  Nicholas  Cox,  1678,  there  is  no  mention  of  the 
pointer,  yet  in  171 1  Gay,  in  his  poem,  "Rural  Sports,"  wrote  in  a  way 
that  indicated  a  well-known  and  thoroughly  established  fact: 

"  See  how  the  well-taught  pointer  leads  the  way  : 
The  scent  grows  warm;   he  stops;  he  springs  the  prey; 
The  fluttering  coveys  from  the  stubble  rise, 
And  on  swift  wing  divide  the  sounding  skies  ; 
The  scattering  lead  pursues  the  certain  sight, 
And  death  in  thunder  overtakes  their  flight." 

We  referred  to  this  quotation  in  the  chapter  on  the  early  spaniel  family^ 
and  gave  the  date  as  1720,  which  was  that  of  the  publication  of  his  poems 
in  book  form,  but  have  since  found  that  "Rural  Sports"  was  his  first  poem^ 
dedicated  to  Pope  and  published  in  171 1. 

We  had  reached  the  conclusion  set  forth,  that  the  pointer  was  devel- 
oped in  England  from  the  same  hound  or  finding  dog  that  produced  the 
various  breeds  of  pointing  dogs  on  the  Continent,  when,  in  looking  through 
"Sporting  Anecdotes,"  1807,  we  came  across  a  very  apropos  statement. 
In  Major  Topham's  description  of  "Ancient  and  Modern  Coursing," 
he  writes,  in  connection  with  the  sport  in  the  time  of  King  John  and  his 
successors:  "The  spaniel  and  sometimes  the  pointer  accompanied  the 
sportsman  in  what  was  at  that  period  denominated  coursing."  Later,  in 
referring  to  the  period  of  Queen  Elizabeth  and  the  rules  which  the  Duke 
of  Norfolk  had  then  drawn  up,  he  writes:  "These  rules,  though  established 
by  a  duke  and  regulated  by  a  queen,  rendered  the  coursing  of  that  period 
but  of  a  very  sterile  description.  Pointers  were  used  for  the  purpose  of 
finding  the  game,  and  when  any  of  these  made  a  point,  the  greyhounds 
were  uncoupled  as  a  necessary  prelude  to  the  sport  which  was  to  ensue." 

The  value  of  Major  Topham's  statement  depends  upon  who  that 
gentleman  was  and  his  qualifications  as  an  authority  on  such  a  subject. 
He  was  born  presumably  about  1740.  We  have  a  sketch  of  his  life  written 
about  1807,  when  he  was  still  living,  but  it  does  not  give  a  single  date  with 


2  5  = 

O  -a- 

O  5f 

73  >,-. 


The    Pointer  285 

regard  to  any  one  of  the  many  related  incidents  of  his  career.  He  was  a 
boy  at  Eton  when  Lawrence  Sterne  was  connected  with  York  Cathedral, 
and  it  was  a  forgotten  appointment  of  the  Dean  of  York  to  meet  Judge 
Topham  that  was  the  means  of  Sterne  first  entering  upon  his  literary  life, 
the  Dean  getting  him  to  write  a  pamphlet  entitled  "The  Adventure  of  a 
Watch-coat,"  Judge  Topham  being  the  watchman  of  the  tale,  and  the 
future  major  the  boy  for  which  he  was  supposed  to  want  to  make  a  pair 
of  small  clothes  out  of  part  of  the  parish  watch-coat.  Sterne  was  in  York- 
shire from  1740  to  1760,  and  we  are  not  far  wrong  in  giving  the  date  of 
about  1740  for  Major  Topham's  birth.  He  was  eleven  years  at  Eton  and 
four  at  Cambridge,  went  abroad  for  eighteen  months,  and  then  travelled 
through  Scotland,  describing  the  latter  trip  in  his  "Letters  from  Edin- 
burgh." He  entered  the  regiment  of  First  Life  Guards,  was  soon  appointed 
adjutant  and  so  much  did  he  improve  the  morale  of  the  regiment  that  he 
was  caricatured  in  the  prints  of  the  period  as  "The  Tip-Top  Adjutant." 
His  hobby,  however,  was  literary;  he  was  one  of  the  most  popular  writers 
of  epilogues  for  the  plays  of  the  day  and  numbered  among  his  intimates 
quite  a  different  class  of  men  from  what  was  usually  the  custom  with  wealthy 
young  English  officers  of  crack  cavalry  regiments. 

Being  a  gentleman  of  education,  of  travel,  and  accustomed  to  demand 
exactness  in  his  subordinates,  we  may  claim  with  some  degree  of  confidence 
that  he  must  have  had  reasons  for  specifying  the  pointer  as  the  dog  used 
to  find  the  game  for  coursing.  So  far  as  his  reference  to  the  time  of  King 
John,  he  could  not  have  had  any  more  knowledge  than  we  possess  now, 
but  he  could  learn  from  first-hand  knowledge  what  was  the  custom  about 
1700  and  have  accurate  information  regarding  1650. 

Speaking  personally  on  this  subject  of  recollection,  we  are  about  the 
age  Major  Topham  must  have  been  when  he  wrote,  exactly  one  hundred 
years  ago,  and  probably  our  earliest  memory,  outside  of  family  occurrences, 
is  the  death  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  November,  1852,  and  seeing  the 
pictures  of  his  funeral  in  the  shop  windows  in  Edinburgh.  Then  came 
the  war  in  the  Crimea,  followed  by  the  Indian  mutiny,  all  before  the  end 
of  1858,  and  of  the  main  incidents  of  both  wars  our  recollection  is  very 
clear.  As  to  what  we  were  told  by  eye-witnesses,  those  of  our  own  family 
related  incidents  of  the  Bonaparte  invasion  scares,  of  the  French  prisoners, 
the  unknown  author  of  "Waverley,"  the  Battle  of  Waterloo  and  the  rejoic- 
ings at  the  downfall  of  "Boney."     That  period  goes  back  to  1810.     Beyond 


286  The  Dog  Book 

that  is  hazy,  but  we  recall  the  delight  we  took  in  some  of  the  Jacobite  songs 
which  our  mother  and  aunts  had  learned  from  nurses  and  their  parents' 
folks,  who  were  Haddingtonshire  residents  when  Bonnie  Prince  Charlie 
and  his  Highland  followers  were  there.  We  liked  nothing  better  than  to 
hear  our  oldest  aunt,  born  1801,  sing  "Hie  Johnnie  Cowp,  are  ye  waukin' 
yet?" — the  song  that  was  written  after  the  Battle  of  Prestonpans,  which 
was  won  by  an  early  morning  attack  of  the  Highlanders  upon  the  sleeping 
English  troops  under  Sir  John  Cope.  That  goes  back  to  1745.  Had 
we  been  at  all  curious,  there  is  no  doubt  we  could  have  been  told  about 
incidents  of  that  campaign  which  had  come  at  first  hand  to  those  who  sang 
to  us  the  Jacobite  songs.  The  great  interest  now  being  taken  in  the  dis- 
covery of  the  body  of  Paul  Jones  and  the  bringing  it  to  this  country  for 
interment  in  American  soil  recalls  the  fact  that  he  was  the  "bogey  man" 
of  our  very  youthful  days.  The  direct  punishment  for  misbehaviour  was 
the  threat  to  have  "Paul  Jones,  the  Pirate,"  attend  to  our  case.  On  the 
southeast  coast  of  Scotland  there  was  undoubtedly  the  greatest  fear  of  a  visit 
from  "the  Pirate,"  and  some  of  those  who  used  the  threat  to  us  must  have 
been  living  at  the  time  of  his  exploits,  while  others  used  the  threat  as  it 
had  been  used  to  them.  We  therefore  hold  that  Major  Topham  could 
write  with  authority  of  incidents  participated  in  by  his  informants  as  far 
back  as  1700,  and  those  informants  could  with  like  knowledge  by  informa- 
tion take  him  back  nearly  another  fifty  years,  and  this  without  any  extraor- 
dinary stretch  of  longevity.  Men  he  knew  in  his  youth  could  tell  him 
of  the  introduction  of  the  flintlock,  which,  as  we  hold,  covers  the  life  of 
the  pointer,  and  what  more  natural  for  some  of  these  old  fellows  to  say  that 
they  remembered  when  the  pointer  was  just  a  dog  for  finding  hares  for 
coursing.     There  is  a  good  deal  more  than  mere  theory  in  this. 

The  following  anecdote  from  the  "Sportsman's  Repository"  is  not 
advanced  as  evidence  of  the  claim  set  forth  being  absolutely  correct,  but 
it  certainly  is  not  in  any  way  a  contradiction.  "A  gentleman  in  the  County 
of  Stirling  lately  kept  a  greyhound  and  pointer,  and  being  fond  of  coursing, 
the  pointer  was  accustomed  to  find  the  hares  and  the  greyhound  to  catch 
them.  When  the  season  was  over  it  was  found  that  the  dogs  were  in  the 
habit  of  going  out  by  themselves  and  killing  hares  for  their  own  amuse- 
ment." The  rest  of  the  story  is  that  a  collar  and  large  ring  were  so  arranged 
as  to  prevent  the  pointer  jumping  walls  or  fences,  but  the  greyhound  learned 
to  take  the  ring  in  his  mouth  and  carry  it  till  the  pointer  pointed  the  hare. 


The    Pointer  287 

The  pointer  then  put  up  the  hare  and  the  greyhound  ran  it  down.  It 
would  be  natural  for  a  custom  to  survive  so  far  from  the  centre  of  up-to- 
date  sport  as  Stirling  was  for  many  years  after  it  had  ceased  to  be  practised 
in  the  more  advanced  sporting  counties  of  England,  such  as  Yorkshire  or 
Norfolk.  At  the  time  Major  Topham  penned  the  statements  quoted  he 
was  one  of  the  most  prominent  coursing  men  of  England,  and  had  just 
completed  the  critical  and  explanatory  preface  to  Scott's  beautifully  illus- 
trated edition  of  Somerville's  "The  Chase."  He  was  not  the  kind  of  man 
to  give  a  wrong  name  to  the  dog  he  was  speaking  of,  and  the  repetition  of 
the  statement  clears  away  any  doubt  as  to  the  dog  he  meant  to  specify. 
It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  modern  coursing  was  not  established 
until  about  1776,  when  Lord  Offord  organised  the  Swaffham  Coursing 
Club,  so  that  some  relics  of  old-time  methods  might  well  have  remained 
into  the  eighteenth  century  and  the  pointer  not  improbably  have  been  used 
to  locate  the  hare. 

As  to  improving  this  finding  hound  into  the  gun  dog,  we  can  see  no 
obstacle  to  the  acceptance  of  the  conclusion  arrived  at.  These  dogs  were 
led  when  they  followed  the  trail  or  located  game,  and  it  not  being  their 
business  to  rouse  the  quarry  on  all  occasions,  they  or  some  of  them  undoubt- 
edly became  accustomed  to  stand,  or  to  their  being  checked  when  close 
to  the  game,  just  as  headstrong  dogs  are  broken  with  the  check  cord  to 
the  present  day.  Undoubtedly  some  of  them  developed  on  their  own 
account  this  standing  when  close  to  the  game,  and  were  used  to  breed  from 
on  that  account.  Then  when  a  dog  was  wanted  for  use  with  the  improved 
gun,  this  pointing  hound  was  the  one  that  was  found  to  be  exactly  the  thing 
needed.  That  of  itself  will  account  for  the  hound  type  of  the  early  pointers, 
dogs  which  were  painted  long  prior  to  what  we  know  were  actual  crosses 
between  the  pointer  and  foxhound  as  made  by  Colonel  Thornton,  who 
was  copied  by  others,  at  the  close  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  will  also 
account  for  no  serious  harm  from  such  a  reversion  to  the  parent  stock  of 
the  hound.* 

*  Since  the  chapter  on  the  pointer  was  written  we  have  come  across  some  very  important  testimony  on  this 
point.  When  in  Philadelphia  for  the  Wissahickon  dog  show  in  June,  1905,  we  found  among  other  useful  prints  that  of 
shooting  flying  from  horseback.  No  one  could  tell  us  where  it  came  from,  so  a  copy  of  the  engraving  was  sent  to  Lon- 
don and  our  correspondent  was  exceedingly  fortunate  to  come  across  the  "Sportsman's  Dictionary,"  second  edition, 
1735,  which  not  only  had  all  the  plates  of  the  edition  but  nine  extra  plates  from  an  earlier  quarto  book  on  sports.  The 
two  volumes  contain  nothing  regarding  pointers, the  name  never  being  mentioned, but  under  "Bloodhound"  we  found 
this:  "Some  are  of  that  nature  that  when  they  have  found  the  game  they  will  stand  still  till  the  huntsman  come  up, 
to  whom  in  silence,  by  their  face,  eye  and  tail,  they  show  the  game."  This  "Sportsman's  Dictionary,"  we  soon  found, 
copied  liberally  from  older  writers,  and  we  have  traced  the  complete  bloodhound  article  through  several  books  S":  far 


288  The  Dog  Book 

"Field  Diversions"  is  an  authority  we  at  one  time  were  so  impressed 
with  that  we  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  pointer  first  came  to  England 
about  1735.  But  Gay's  quoted  description  of  the  pointer  and  shooting 
flying  over  his  points,  in  his  poem  published  in  1711,  disposed  of  that 
supposition.  The  quotation  in  "Field  Diversions,"  which  bears  upon 
1735  as  the  date,  is  as  follows:  "This  kind  of  dog  [the  pointer]  was  intro- 
duced here  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and  is  acknowledged 
to  be  a  native  of  Spain  or  Portugal,  as  many  were,  and  yet  are,  brought 
to  us  from  both  kingdoms.  The  first  I  remember  to  have  seen  was  about 
forty  years  back  [Mr.  Simons's  book  was  pubHshed  in  1776].  Black  and 
white,  heavy,  slow,  without  any  regularity  in  beating,  under  no  command, 
but  a  natural  pointer.  The  most  general  import  was  in  liver  and  white, 
especially  mottled.  They  all  fall  under  a  parity  of  description  as  to  shape 
and  performance;  nor  can  nature  be  much  improved  upon  or  assisted  by 
art,  as  they  'have  a  ferocity  of  temper  which  will  not  submit  to  correction 
or  discipline,  unless  taken  in  hand  very  young.  The  activity  of  our  modern 
race  of  pointers  we  are  indebted  for,  I  presume,  to  the  cross  between  the 
foreigner  and  our  setter.  The  mixture  in  this  case  was  successful;  as 
thereby  we  are  furnished  a  strain  that  will  act  in  a  greater  variety  of  capaci- 
ties than  any  other. 

"  I  mentioned  that  a  pointer  is  of  more  general  use  than  any  other  dog, 
and  that  he  may  be  elevated  to  a  setter.  [The  reverend  author  did  not 
mean  the  setter  of  our  day,  but  the  net  spaniel.  The  pointer  was  the  only 
dog  over  which  birds  were  then  shot  from  points.]  He  answers  the  purpose 
in  one  sense,  it  is  certain,  but  by  humble  imitation  at  best.  He  insults  the 
finished,  fine  setter  by  invading  his  province,  and  admitting  that  game 
enough  may  be  taken  at  him,  it  is  the  same  as  challenging  a  delicate  grey- 
hound with  a  coarse  lurcher,  because  he  can  kill  as  many  hares.     The 

back  as  Cox's  1677  edition  of  "The  Gentleman's  Recreation,"  and  it  is  undoubtedly  older  than  that.  We  have  also 
been  fortunate  enough  to  get  a  copy  of  "The  Complete  Sportsman,"  by  Thomas  Fairfax.  It  is  undated,  but  a  very 
high  authority  gives  the  date  of  publication  as  1689.  Much  of  the  book  is  taken  bodily  from  other  writers,  as  was 
the  custom  by  all  but  Markham,  but  last  of  all  comes  a  chapter  entitled  "Shooting  and  Shooting  Flying,"  which  begins 
as  follows:  "Go  early  into  the  field,  take  with  you  some  rum  in  a  wicker  bottle  that  will  hold  about  a  gill;  tin:-  will 
keep  out  or  expel  wind,  cure  the  gripes,  and  give  you  spirit  when  fatigued;  but  do  not  take  too  much,  for  too  much 
will  make  your  sight  unsteady.  When  you  have  got  your  gun,  a  turn  screw,  worm  and  flints  ready,  call  your  pointers." 
It  is  not  necessary  to  copy  the  shooting  instructions,  but  to  show  that  the  true  sportsman's  feeling  then  existed  we  give 
this  extract:  "In  firing  at  a  covey  always  confine  your  aim  to  one."  It  is  just  possible  that  this  copy  of  the  "Com- 
plete Sportsman"  might  be  a  later  edition  and  this  an  added  chapter,  but  the  evidence  so  far  is  that  it  is  a  book 
published  in  1689,  although  this  is  an  early  period  for  the  use  of  the  word  gun.  Another  totally  different  "Compleat 
Sportsman,"  by  Giles  Jacobs,  1718,  m.akes  no  mention  of  pointers,  but  does  of  shooting  flying,  and  in  the  only  copy 
we  have  seen  of  "Art  of  Shooting  Flying,"  seventh  edition,  1767  ( ?),  by  T.  Payne,  a  chapter  is  devoted  to  the 
pointer,  and  he  introduces  it  by  stating  "  as  nothing  has  yet  been  published  on  these  dogs,  at  least  that  I  have  seen.*' 


CAPTAIN  FLEMING,  OF   BAROCHAN,  AND  HIS    HAWKS 

From  an  iUustra  ion  in  Colonel  Thornton's  "  Tour  Through  Scotland  "  (1786) 


THE   POINTER 

Published  by  Sydenham  Edwards,  London,  1803.     The  rough  dog  is  the  Russian  pointer,  Russian  setter,  or  Russian  retriever,  as  it  was 

variously  called.    The  centre  dog  is  orange  lemon  on  the  head,  and  the  one  in  the  foreground  is  liver  colored 


The    Pointer  289 

pointer  is  serviceable  in  light  coverts,  as  coppices,  cars  or  broom,  with  a 
bell  on  his  collar  to  direct  attention  to  the  right  quarter.  I  neither  commend 
nor  recommend  this  method,  only  signify  the  possibility  of  the  thing. 

"I  once  had  such  a  Proteus,  as  many  gentlemen  in  the  vicinity  will 
remember,  who  would  stand  for  a  gun  at  one  bird,  drop  for  a  net  at  another, 
and  so  on  as  I  thought  fit.  In  covert  he  would  do  the  work  of  a  brace  of 
spaniels.  Take  him  into  field  directly,  he  was  as  clean  and  regular  in  his 
hunting  as  if  he  had  never  acted  in  a  lower  character.  This  supports 
my  assertion  of  general  utility.  Some  will  set  the  springing  spaniel  in 
opposition  to  the  pointer,  arguing  that  more  chances  are  had  from  the 
former  than  the  latter,  because  they  pass  nothing,  and  so  consequently 
find  more  game.  Allowing  the  first  datum,  the  conclusion  is  by  no  means 
deducible.  Suppose  both  on  a  parity  of  goodness  in  their  different  kinds. 
The  spaniel  must  not  hunt  faster  than  a  man  can  walk  up  to  him.  A 
rating  pointer,  moderately  speaking,  will  beat  four  times  the  ground; 
and  if  he  springs  or  misses  half  (which  is  in  a  decent  dog  not  to  be  imagined), 
still  the  balance  of  find  will  be  on  his  side.  The  only  advantage  a  spaniel 
can  have  is  in  strong  furze;  and  there  he  must  spring  his  game  at  great 
uncertainty  of  shooting,  unless  constitution  and  resolution  drive  in  up  to 
the  middle;  in  which  situation — non  equidorn  invideo.  There  are  many 
pointers,  which,  by  use,  will  stand  woodcock  very  well.  And  I  know  one 
of  a  very  eminent  physician  (Dr.  Bigsbye)  that,  if  she  found  in  covert, 
unperceived,  would  give  tongue  for  discovery,  and  that  repeatedly,  till 
she  was  relieved  from  her  point. 

"It  is  not  my  intention  to  depreciate  the  springing  spaniel,  as  being 
of  little  or  no  consequence,  for  I  am  really  a  great  advocate  for  that  knot  of 
slavery.  And  when  I  say  a  pointer  may  be  made  to  do,  and  has  done, 
such  a  variety  of  works,  I  still  think  it  acting  out  of  character,  whenever 
he  represents  his  superior  or  inferior. 

"There  was  a  breed  of  rough  pointers  introduced  to  Suffolk  by  the  late  Earl 
of  Powis,  from  Lorraine,  of  which  I  remember  a  very  few  capital.  Novelty, 
and  the  little  satisfaction  of  deceiving  and  surprising  strangers,  were  their  chief 
recommendation.  Sullenness,  and  a  violent  attachment  to  mutton,  brought 
them  into  disgrace,  and  they  have  been  discontinued  for  many  years." 

The  rough  pointer  is  the  dog  shown  in  Sydenham  Edwards's  illustration 
of  the  pointer,  and  is  variously  named  Russian  pointer,  Russian  setter  and 
Russian  retriever.     We  remember  seeing  some  of  these  dogs  at  the  Chicago 


290         •  The  Dog  Book 

show  of  1876,  entered  as  Russian  setters,  and  have  always  had  the  idea 
that  they  were  closely  related  to  the  rough  griffon.  They  also  might  have 
been  descended  from  some  rough-coated  tracking  hounds  which  developed 
pointing  instincts  and  were  then  made  use  of  with  the  gun. 

Lee  quotes  from  Sydenham  Edwards,  1805,  that  the  pointer  was  first 
introduced  in  England  from  Portugal  by  a  merchant  who  traded  with  that 
country,  and  was  first  used  by  a  man  named  Bechill,  a  resident  of  Norfolk, 
"who  could  shoot  flying."  It  was  also  said  that  Bechill  was  a  "reduced 
baron,"  and  that  the  importation  of  this  Portuguese  pointer  was  made 
at  a  very  modern  period.  Presuming  that  to  be  all  true,  there  were  many 
pointers  in  England  before  that  one  arrived  from  Portugal.  We  have 
already  proved  that  shooting  flying  was  well  known  in  England  in  171 1 
and  if  not  known  on  the  Continent  at  an  equally  early  date,  it  was  so  at 
least  sixty  years  before  Edwards  wrote,  and  over  pointers.  We  show 
proof  of  that  in  a  copy  of  a  painting,  by  the  German  artist  Ridinger,  of  a 
French  gentleman  with  his  pointers.  As  this  engraving  has  both  a  French 
and  a  German  title,  we  presume  it  was  published  in  France,  and  although 
the  German  title  of  Reise  J'ager  has  but  the  one  meaning  of  the  travelling 
or  moving  sportsman,  the  French  title,  *^ Le  Chasseur  au  vol,'  can 
be  rendered  as  the  flying  sportsman  or  the  on-the-wing  sportsman;  what  we 
would  call  "the  wingshot."  The  painting  certainly  does  not  admit  of  the 
interpretation  of  a  travelling  sportsman,  but  of  one  resting  after  shooting  or 
just  returned  from  shooting. 

The  pointers  are  well  drawn,  and  all  much  similar  in  type,  showing 
altogether  different  character  and  makeup  from  the  Spanish  type,  and  at 
about  the  same  time  as  Ridinger  we  know  that  Desportes  was  painting 
French  pointers  which  bore  no  resemblance  to  the  Spanish  dog,  showing 
that  that  heavily-built  animal  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  production  of  the 
pointing  dog  of  France  and  Germany. 

We  can  readily  understand  how  the  heavy  Spanish  dog  became  plentiful 
in  England.  Communication  and  commerce  were  by  water  in  preference 
to  expensive  and  tedious  land  travel,  and  English  trade  with  Spain  was 
very  extensive,  so  that  more  dogs  came  from  Spain  to  England  than  from 
the  interior  of  the  Continent,  and  with  far  less  trouble.  Another  suggestion 
is  that  the  dogs  of  France  and  England  were  nearer  alike,  and  the  appearance 
of  a  French  dog  would  not  be  at  all  noticeable  compared  with  that  of  the 
heavy,  strongly-built  dog  from  Spain. 


The    Pointer  291 

The  natural  aptitude  of  the  imported  dogs  from  Spain  to  point,  as 
mentioned  by  Simons  and  those  who  followed  him,  undoubtedly  caused 
them  to  be  crossed  very  extensively  on  the  native  dogs,  and  being  better 
or  older  bred,  perhaps,  they  impressed  their  heavy  type  to  an  extent  that 
rendered  it  advisable  to  try  for  a  faster  dog.  The  setter  was  used  and  so  was 
the  foxhound,  but  there  is  no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  entire  change  to 
the  smarter-moving  dog  was  due  to  either  or  both  of  these  crosses.  There 
was  the  process  of  selection  at  work  all  the  time,  and  the  lighter,  better  built 
and  faster  dogs,  if  that  was  the  type  wanted,  were  undoubtedly  bred  from 
and  with  more  certainty  as  to  what  the  outcome  would  be  than  from  cross- 
bred dogs.  The  setter  cross,  producing  the  dropper,  was  continued  up  to 
the  time  of  dog  shows  by  men  who  simply  wanted  a  shooting  dog,  and  short 
chapters  were  devoted  to  them  even  in  the  late  editions  of  Stonehenge  and 
in  Dalziel's  book,  only  twenty-five  years  ago.  No  dog  book,  however, 
ever  did  more  than  mention  the  foxhound  cross  as  a  long-bygone  experiment 
with  which  the  name  of  Colonel  Thornton  was  prominently  connected; 
still,  it  did  not  stop  with  him. 

We  doubt  very  much  whether  this  was  more  than  a  passing  experiment 
on  the  part  of  Colonel  Thornton.  His  books  do  not  mention  anything 
about  how  he  bred  his  dogs,  but  he  does  in  one  place  say  that  no  one  paid 
more  attention  to  the  improvement  of  dogs  than  he  had  done.  In  a  brief 
record  of  his  career  written  during  his  lifetime,  and  probably  published 
originally  in  1807,  mention  is  made  of  the  most  important  dogs  of  various 
breeds  which  he  had  bred.  The  foxhounds  Merlin,  Lucifer  and  Old  Con- 
queror are  mentioned;  the  greyhounds  Major,  Czarina  and  Skyagraphina; 
the  spaniel  Dash,  the  beagle  Merryman,  and  the  fox  terrier  Pitch,  while  the 
pointers  are  set  forth  as  follows:  "Dash — An  acknowledged  fine  pointer, 
which  sold  for  two  hundred  and  fifty  guineas.  Pluto — A  celebrated  pointer. 
Juno — A  remarkable  fine  bitch  which  was  matched  with  a  pointer  of 
Lord  Grantley's  for  ten  thousand  guineas,  who  paid  forfeit.  Modish — A 
bitch  of  acknowledged  excellence.  Lily — A  most  remarkable  steady 
bitch.  Nan — It  is  only  necessary  to  state  that  seventy-five  guineas  have 
been  offered  and  refused  for  this  bitch." 

We  give  a  copy  of  the  painting  of  Dash,  the  pointer  with  the  foxhound 
cross,  and  said  by  some  to  be  three  parts  foxhound,  which  was  sold  to  Sir 
Richard  Hill,  but  not  for  the  sum  stated  above,  nor  on  the  terms  given  by 
Scott,  "Idstone,"  Shaw  or  Lee.     After  the  sale  there  was  some  discussion 


292  The  Dog  Book 

as  to  the  terms,  and  a  gentleman,  who  was  not  contradicted,  stated  in  the 
Sporting  Magazine  a  few  months  after  the  transaction  that  the  sale  was 
made  at  a  dinner  (at  which  he  was  probably  present),  the  terms  being  120 
guineas,  a  cask  of  genuine  Madeira,  and  fifty  guineas  to  be  returned  when 
the  dog  was  sent  back  to  Colonel  Thornton,  which  was  done  very  soon 
afterward,  as  Dash  broke  his  leg. 

Pluto  and  Juno  were  the  brace  which  stood  for  an  hour  and  a  quarter 
on  point  while  Gilpin  made  the  sketch  from  which  the  painting  was  made, 
of  which  we  give  an  illustration.  It  has  been  somewhat  customary  to  ridi- 
cule the  statement  of  these  dogs  holding  their  point  so  long.  Lee  does  so 
by  matching  it  with  the  story  of  the  man  who  returned  to  the  place  w^here  he 
saw  a  pointing  dog  the  year  before  and  found  its  skeleton  on  point  at  a 
bird's  skeleton,  but  his  beau  ideal  of  an  authority,  Stonehenge,  not  only 
fully  credits  the  statement,  but  caps  it  with  one  of  his  own  knowledge 
where  a  dog  stood  his  point  for  six  hours.  "Idstone"  quotes  from  the 
Sporting  Magazine  of  a  point  of  five  hours,  though  he  doubts  the  possibility 
of  birds  remaining  so  long  on  one  spot.  Notwithstanding  that  doubt,  he 
states  that  a  relative  of  his  travelling  from  Leicester  to  Oxford  in  the 
memorable  frost  of  1814,  came  across  a  dog  frozen  dead  on  point. 
"Idstone"  leaves  no  doubt  as  to  his  implicit  belief  in  the  positive  correct- 
ness of  this  assertion. 

It  will  be  well  to  draw  attention  to  the  very  great  difference  between 
these  dogs  of  Colonel  Thornton.  The  brace  on  point  show  no  evidence  of 
foxhound  cross,  if  the  dog  Dash  is  to  be  considered  typical  thereof.  Yet 
the  pointer  Pluto  took  part  in  several  hunts  after  outlying  deer  at  Thornville. 
If  these  are  compared  with  the  drawings  by  Sydenham  Edwards,  the  latter 
show  decidedly  more  quality,  while  all  differ  very  much  from  the  Spanish 
pointer  of  Stubbs,  which  has  always  been  recognised  as  the  typical  painting 
of  that  variety,  even  Bewick  seemingly  copying  it. 

There  can  be  little  question  that  during  the  period  we  are  now  discussing 
—from  Colonel  Thornton's  time  to,  say,  18 10— there  was  no  established 
type,  but  that  every  dog  was  good  enough  if  he  found  birds  and  was  staunch. 
Colonel  Hamilton,  who  was  a  shooting  man  so  far  back  as  1800,  states  in 
his  "Recollections"  that  he  had  had  various  breeds  of  pointers,  "amongst 
them  the  Russian  breed,  which  are  distinguished  by  having  extremely 
rough  hair.  I  had  also  one  of  that  smooth  species  which  are  pupped  with, 
tails  not  more  than  two  or  three  inches  in  length.     I  also  used  the  old 


..  '"^fi 


WWi 


111       ' 


lliiiii 


lit 


The  Pointer  293 

double-nosed  Spanish  pointers,  which  are  slow  but  sure  in  finding  game. 
I  may  boast  of  having  had  some  excellent  dogs  of  these  various  breeds. 
One  of  the  short-tailed  breed  I  sold  to  a  friend  for  fifty  pounds.  His  name 
was  Pluto;  he  was  liver  coloured  and  particularly  well  made,  had  a  fine 
nose  and  was  as  steady  as  time.  When  we  drove  a  covey  into  a  clover, 
potato  or  turnip  field,  the  other  dogs  were  taken  up  and  great  havoc  was 
generally  made  amongst  the  birds  by  Pluto's  dexterous  skill  in  finding  the 
single  birds.  Some  gentlemen  shoot  with  pointers  in  cover,  but  I  prefer 
a  brace  or  two  of  well-broke  spaniels,  with  a  retriever.  A  friend  of  mine,  an 
old  sportsman,  always  shot  in  woods  with  pointers  with  bells  of  different 
tones  on  their  necks,  by  which  he  was  able  to  ascertain  which  of  his  dogs 
stood.  He  was  a  first-rate  shot,  and  by  this  mode  bagged  a  great  deal  of 
game.  Although  I  generally  shot  in  cover  with  spaniels,  yet  when  the 
pheasants  were  to  be  found  in  turnip  fields,  hedgerows  and  very  low  cover,  I 
took  with  me  a  brace  of  pointers."  When  Colonel  Hamilton  began  shooting 
the  pointer  was  the  gun  dog  except  for  the  moors  or  partridges,  and  he 
seems  to  have  been  conservative  in  sticking  to  the  breed,  although  he 
acknowledges  that  he  once  had  a  dropper  that  seems  to  have  been  about 
the  best  dog  he  ever  owned. 

Daniel  Lambert,  when  he  went  to  London  in  1806  to  exhibit  himself, 
took  some  sporting  dogs  which  were  sold  at  Tattersalls.  Lambert  after- 
ward had  a  special  strain  of  black  pointers,  and  at  his  death  in  1840  six 
and  a  half  brace  were  sold  at  auction  for  256  guineas.  At  the  sale  we  are 
now  referring  to  there  were  ^even  setters  and  two  pointers.  The  two 
pointer  bitches  were  sold  to  Lord  Kinnaird  for  twenty-two  and  twelve 
guineas,  and  Mr.  C.  Mellish  bought  all  the  setters,  the  colour  of  only 
one  of  which  we  know — the  black  bitch  Peg,  lot  i — the  total  for  the  setters 
being  186  guineas.  Lambert  had  an  excellent  lot  of  terriers  also,  but  we 
have  no  description  of  what  they  were. 

The  Duke  of  Kingston's  black  pointers  were  well  known  at  that  time, 
but  were  mentioned  more  particularly  because  they  were  all  black.  The 
Earl  of  Lauderdale,  a  Scottish  nobleman,  fancied  a  diminutive  breed  of 
pointers,  and  they  were  in  several  other  hands  in  the  Edinburgh  district. 
Captain  Brown  in  his  "Anecdotes"  describes  one  belonging  to  C.  G. 
Stewart  Menteith,  of  Closeburn,  as  follows:  "His  length  from  the  point  of 
the  nose  to  the  tip  of  the  tail  is  only  two  feet  and  half  an  inch;  from  the 
one  fore  foot  to  the  other,  across  the  shoulders,  two  feet;  length  of  head 


294  The  Dog  Book 

six  inches;  round  the  chest  one  foot  three  inches.  He  is  an  exquisite  minia- 
ture of  the  EngHsh  pointer,  being  in  all  respects  similar  to  him.  His  colour 
is  white,  with  dark  liver-coloured  patches  on  each  side  of  the  head,  extending 
half  way  down  the  neck;  the  ears,  with  some  patches  on  the  back,  are  of 
the  same  colour,  and  numerous  small  dark-brown  spots  appear  over  his 
whole  body  and  legs.  This  beautiful  little  animal  has  an  exquisite  sense 
of  smell,  and  it  is  said  that  some  of  the  same  variety  possessed  by  the  Earl 
of  Lauderdale  have  been  broken  in  and  make  excellent  pointers;  although 
from  their  minute  size  it  cannot  be  expected  that  they  will  be  able  to  do 
much  work.  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  the  native  country  of  this 
variety,  although  I  have  been  informed  it  is  common  in  the  south  of  Germany. 
Sir  James  Colquhon  has  a  dog  of  the  same  breed,  which  is  even  smaller 
than  that  belonging  to  Mr.  Menteith." 

In  Colonel  Thornton's  "Tour  through  the  North  of  England  and 
Scotland,"  made  in  1 786,  we  have  an  occasional  reference  to  other  people's 
pointers  in  addition  to  those  he  took  with  him.  Of  the  latter  he  gives  no 
description,  but  in  one  place  says:  " Pero,  Ponto,  Dargo,  Shandy,  Carlo 
and  Romp,  all  whelps,  behaved  incomparably."  The  Duke  of  Hamilton's 
pointers  are  mentioned,  two  of  which  were  brought  into  the  house 
for  inspection  on  the  evening  of  the  Colonel's  arrival  at  Hamilton 
House.  "A  brace  of  finer  looking  dogs  I  never  saw.  The  one 
is  a  cross  from  a  foxhound,  full  of  bone  and  strength,  and  appeared  a  most 
capital  moor  dog,  but  does  not  excel  for  partridge;  the  other,  Pero,  is  not 
much  better."  At  Wigton  in  the  south  of  Scotland  he  heard  of  some 
famous  pointers,  looked  at  a  brace,  and  "tried  them  on  the  road  to  Ouse 
Bridge,  but  did  not  approve  of  them.  I  scarcely  ever  found  one  pointer  in 
fifty  answer  my  expectations,  either  for  shape,  bone  or  action,  and  the 
diflPerent  methods  of  breaking,  if  they  are  not  whelps,  make  them  irre- 
claimable." He  makes  no  mention  of  any  pointers  when  he  visited  Captain 
Fleming  at  Barochan  Castle  on  more  than  one  occasion,  yet  in  the  published 
account  of  the  tour  there  is  a  copy  of  a  painting  of  Mr.  Fleming  and  his 
hawks,  and  in  it  a  very  good  pointer,  undoubtedly  a  portrait  of  one  of  his 
favourite  dogs;  the  small  spaniels  and  the  poodle  shown  in  this  painting 
are  also  worthy  of  notice,  some  of  the  former  being  quite  Blenheim  in  their 
character  and  size. 

Colonel  Thornton's  "  Tour  through  France,"  in  1802,  gives  a  little  more 
doggy  news,  though  it  is  all  too  scant;  and  pointers  are  only  mentioned 


The  Pointer  295 

three  times  outside  of  an  occasional  reference  to  shooting  over  his  own 
dogs.  The  Hst  of  dogs  taken  by  him  mentions  only  one  pointer,  Carlo,  but 
the  plural  is  used  several  times  throughout  the  letters.  At  Rouen  he 
"tried  an  English  dog  [pointer]  belonging  to  one  of  the  gentlemen,  who 
seemed  to  esteem  him  very  highly,  as  they  all  do  everything  English,  but 
he  was  not  half  broke."  In  a  footnote  referring  to  the  remark  about 
esteeming  English  things,  it  says :  " Indeed  it  is  proverbial,  'Anglo-mania.' " 
Elsewhere  mention  is  made  of  a  very  poor  pointer  he  had  tried,  and  near 
Paris,  when  returning  from  one  of  his  trips  from  that  city,  he  makes  this, 
for  him,  very  full  reference:  "I  was  shown  a  breed  of  small  pointers,  the 
price  being  ten  guineas  each.  I  offered  six  guineas  for  a  whelp  of  nine 
months,  which  was  refused,  but  with  the  polite  assurance  that  if  I  came 
near  Bordeaux  a  dog  should  be  sent  to  me."  The  remark  about  Bordeaux 
suggests  that  the  dogs  belonged  to  M.  Bergeir,  a  Bordeaux  banker,  whose 
Chateau  De  Lotville  he  had  just  mentioned  as  being  seen  in  the  distance. 
Whether  these  were  of  the  size  of  the  Lauderdale  pointers,  or  merely  small 
in  comparison  with  the  English  idea  of  the  proper  size,  is  not  determinable 
by  the  text,  probably  the  latter,  otherwise  the  description  would  likely 
have  been  more  minute.  At  the  same  time  we  must  not  overlook  that 
between  the  Edinburgh  district  and  France  there  had  been  close 
communion  for  very  many  years.  This  is  shown  in  the  number  of 
words  of  French  origin  in  common  use  in  Midlothian  and  Haddingtonshire 
Scotch. 

The  ability  to  stand  motionless  on  scenting  game  is  not  the  exclusive 
privilege  of  any  breed  of  dogs.  The  pointer,  or  pointing  hound,  by  his 
many  years  of  training  through  his  ancestry,  was  the  best  adapted  for  the 
work  required  and  was  made  use  of,  and  it  was  not  until  the  net  was  given 
up  as  a  gentlemanly  method  of  taking  game  that  the  setter  became  his 
rival  with  the  gun.  We  read  in  old  books  of  other  dogs  which  also  pointed 
and  stood  game.  The  adaptability  of  the  collie  as  a  dog  to  shoot  over 
on  the  moors  was  recognised  years  ago,  and  it  is  beyond  dispute  that  the 
Duke  of  Gordon  did  use  such  a  cross  on  one  occasion.  Daniel  tells  us 
that  "Lord  Gwydir,  whose  manors  are  as  well  stocked  with  pheasants 
as  most  in  tjie  Kingdom,  and  astonishingly  so  if  their  short  distance  from 
the  metropolis  is  considered,  shoots  pheasants  always  to  a  lurcher,  who 
points  them  with  singular  correctness,  and  whose  nose  is  so  excellent  as 
never  to  miss  securing  a  wounded  bird  that  runs  into  the  thickest  covert; 


296  The  Dog  Book 

yet  it  does  not  hence  follow  that  this  kind  of  dog  is  generally  appropriate 
to  the  use  here  made  of  it. 

"  So  Toomer  (formerly  one  of  the  King's  keepers  in  the  New  Forest, 
and  afterward  gamekeeper  to  Sir  Henry  Mildmay)  actually  broke  a  black 
sow  to  find  game  and  to  back  and  stand.  Slut  was  as  staunch  as  any  pointer, 
still  nobody  has  since  thought  it  worth  while  (which,  by  the  way,  is  some- 
thing surprising  in  this  age,  and  present  rage  for  novelty)  to  be  accom- 
panied by  a  brace  of  pig  pointers." 

The  story  of  the  pig  pointer  is  told  in  full  by  Daniel  as  follows:  "Of 
this  most  extraordinary  animal  will  be  here  stated  a  short  history,  to  the 
veracity  of  which  there  are  hundreds  of  living  witnesses:  Slut  was  bred 
in,  and  was  of  that  sort  which  maintain  themselves  in  the  New  Forest 
without  regular  feeding,  except  when  they  have  young,  and  then  but  for 
a  few  VN^eeks,  and  was  given  when  about  three  months  old  to  Mr.  Richard 
Toomer  by  Mr.  Thomas,  both  at  that  time  keepers  in  the  Forest.  From 
not  having  young  she  was  not  fed,  or  taken  very  little  notice  of  until  about 
eighteen  months  old.  She  was  seldom  near  the  Lodge,  but  chanced  to  be 
seen  one  day  when  Mr.  Edward  Toomer  was  there.  The  brothers  were 
concerned  together  in  breaking  pointers  and  setters,  some  of  their  own 
breeding,  and  others  which  were  sent  to  be  broke  by  different  gentlemen. 
Of  the  latter,  although  they  would  stand  and  back,  many  were  so  indiffer- 
ent that  they  would  neither  hunt  nor  express  satisfaction  when  birds  were 
killed  and  put  before  them.  The  slackness  in  these  dogs  first  suggested 
the  idea  that  by  the  same  method  any  other  animal  might  be  made  to 
stand,  and  do  as  well  as  these  huntless  and  inactive  pointers.  At  this 
instant  the  sow  passed  by  and  was  remarked  as  being  extremely  handsome. 
Robert  Toomer  threw  her  a  piece  or  two  of  oatmeal  roll,  for  which  she 
appeared  grateful  and  approached  very  near.  From  that  time  they  were 
determined  to  make  a  sporting  pig  of  her.  The  first  step  was  to  give  her 
a  name,  and  that  of  Slut — given  in  consequence  of  soiling  herself  in  a 
bog — she  acknowledged  in  the  course  of  a  day  and  never  afterward  forgot. 

"Within  a  fortnight  she  would  find  and  point  partridges  and  rabbits, 
and  her  training  was  much  forwarded  by  the  abundance  of  both  near 
the  Lodge.  She  daily  improved,  and  in  a  few  weeks  would  r^rieve  birds 
that  had  run  as  well  as  any  pointer;  nay,  her  nose  was  superior  to  any 
pointer  they  ever  possessed,  and  no  two  men  in  England  had  better. 
They  hunted  her  principally  on  the  moors  and  heaths.     Slut  has  stood 


COLONEL  THORNTON'S   CELEBRATED   POINTER,   DASH 

Nearly  three-quarters  foxhound  blood.     From  Daniel's  "Rural  Sports,"  1801 


A   THORNTON   POINTER 

From  an  engraving  of  a  Reinagle  picture,  published  in  Jesse's  "Anecdotes  of  Dogs,"  London, 

he  was  owned  by  Colonel  Thornton 


The  branded  "T"  on  the  dog's  ribs  shows 


The  Pointer  297 

partridges,  black  game,  pheasants,  snipes  and  rabbits  on  the  same  day, 
but  was  never  known  to  point  a  hare.  She  has  sometimes  stood  a  jack- 
snipe  when  all  the  pointers  had  passed  by  it;  she  would  back  the  dogs 
when  they  pointed,  but  the  dogs  refused  to  back  her  until  spoke  to,  their 
dogs  being  trained  to  make  a  general  halt  when  the  word  was  given,  whether 
any  dog  pointed  or  not,  so  that  she  has  been  frequently  standing  in  the 
midst  of  a  field  of  pointers.  Her  pace  was  mostly  a  trot;  was  seldom 
known  to  gallop  except  when  called  to  go  shooting.  She  would  then  come 
home  full  stretch  off  the  forest,  for  she  was  never  shut  up.  She  obeyed 
the  call  as  well  as  any  dog  and  was  as  much  elevated  when  shown  the  gun. 

"She  has  frequently  stood  a  single  partridge  at  forty  yards'  distance, 
her  nose  in  a  direct  line  to  the  bird.  After  standing  for  some  time  she 
would  drop  like  a  setter,  still  keeping  her  nose  in  a  direct  line,  and  would 
keep  in  that  position  until  the  game  moved.  If  it  took  wing  she  would 
come  up  to  the  place  and  put  her  nose  down  two  or  three  times,  but  if  the 
bird  ran  she  would  get  up  and  go  to  the  place  and  draw  slowly  lafter  it  till 
the  bird  stopped,  when  she  would  stand  it  as  before. 

"Slut  was  about  five  years  old  when  her  master  died,  and  at  the  auction 
of  his  pointers  and  effects  she  was  bought  for  ten  guineas  by  Sir  H.  Mildmay 
and  taken  to  Dagmersfield  Park,  where  she  remained  several  years.  She 
was  last  in  the  possession  of  Colonel  Sikes,  and  when  ten  years  old  would 
point  game  as  well  as  before,  but  had  become  fat  and  slothful.  When 
killed  at  Basilden  House,  she  weighed  700  pounds."  Mr.  Daniel  very 
properly  adds  that  her  death,  "to  those  who  possess  common  feehngs  of 
humanity,  appears  at  least  animal  murder.  It  would  have  cost  but  a 
trifling  sum  to  have  fed  and  sheltered  her  in  winter,  and  the  park  would 
have  supplied  her  wants  during  the  summer  at  no  expense." 

Very  little  is  to  be  learned  about  the  pointer  in  Daniel's  "Rural  Sports"; 
indeed,  he  does  not  seem  to  have  had  much  fancy  for  the  breed,  even  for 
pheasant  shooting,  preferring  spaniels,  and  in  the  open  shot  over  setters. 
The  white  setter  illustrated  in  the  article  on  the  English  setter,  Part  II., 
is  his  setter  Beau,  painted  by  Reinagle.  What  little  he  says  about  the 
pointer  is  to  the  effect  that  he  is  the  Spanish  dog  crossed  and  improved. 
His  version  of  the  sale  of  Colonel  Thornton's  Dash  has  been  copied  by  all 
writers  down  to  the  time  of  Mr.  Lee,  and  if  the  story  we  have  given  is 
correct,  then  Daniel  is  wrong.  It  is  not  a  matter  of  much  consequence, 
only  it  shows  what  a  very  small  amount  of  original  investigation  has  been 


298  The  Dog  Book 

the  custom  among  compilers  of  dog  books.  Daniel  said  the  buyer  was 
Sir  Richard  Symons,  but  he  told  the  story  many  years  after  the  transaction, 
and  the  Sporting  Magazine  account  published  about  three  months  after 
it  took  place  is  much  more  likely  to  be  correct. 

We  miss  a  history  of  the  breed  such  as  Mr.  Laverack  gave  of  the  various 
strains  of  setter  existing  in  England  from  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century  up  to  about  i860,  but  M^e  do  know  that  as  in  setters  so  in  pointers, 
various  noblemen  and  gentlemen  sportsmen  had  their  several  kennels 
and  bred  more  or  less  along  fancy  lines  of  colour.  When  we  have  no  liter- 
ature to  turn  to,  the  next  best,  perhaps  the  actual  best  thing  to  refer  to,  is 
the  work  of  the  painter.  We  have  given  one  or  two  copies  of  Landseer's 
work,  and  will  have  a  good  many  more  before  '*  The  Dog  Book"  is  finished, 
but  we  have  never  considered  him  a  dog  artist.  He  seemed  to  have  not  the 
slightest  idea  whether  the  dog  he  was  painting  was  a  good  or  a  poor  one, 
and  some  of  his  drawings  were  shockingly  bad.  For  the  sake  of  his  repu- 
tation we  would  gladly  have  omitted  the  pointer  shown  with  the  Irish 
setter  "setting  a  hare"  and  given  as  an  early  drawing  of  the  Irish  setter, 
but  the  two  had  to  go  in.  At  the  head  of  the  dog  painters  of  the  last  cen- 
tury there  has  been  no  one  to  compare  with  Abraham  Cooper.  Gilpin 
and  Reinagle  preceded  him,  and  both  did  beautiful  work,  particularly 
Gilpin.  Moreland  also  introduced  portrait  dogs  in  some  of  his  work, 
but  the  man  we  like  is  Cooper,  and  a  great  deal  of  his  work  consists  of 
portraits  of  selected  dogs.  It  is  to  such  artists  as  those  named  that  we 
owe  our  knowledge  of  what  some  of  the  best  dogs  of  their  day  looked  like. 
There  is  no  question  as  to  Gilpin's  drawing  being  true  to  nature,  so  his 
representations  of  Dash,  Pluto  and  Juno  must  be  accepted  as  correct  por- 
traits of  those  dogs,  and  we  would  not  think  much  of  what  Colonel  Thornton 
accomplished  in  the  improvement  of  the  pointer  if  those  were  the  only 
portraits  of  his  dogs  or  dogs  of  that  period;  but  that  they  were  not 
typical  of  the  pointer  of  1800  is  shown  by  the  beautifully  drawn  pointer 
in  the  painting  of  Mr.  Fleming  going  hawking.  Some  of  Reinagle's 
pointers  are  portraits  of  bad  dogs,  such  as  the  one  in  the  "Sportsman's 
Repository,"  which  is  a  goggle-eyed,  lumpy-headed  dog,  with  an  abnor- 
mal length  of  neck.  To  represent  his  work  we  have  taken  the  pointer 
illustrated  in  Jesse's  "Anecdotes,"  1846  edition,  which  is  a  very 
different  dog  and  a  good  one.  It  will  be  observed  from  the  "T" 
branded  on  the  side    that  it  is  a  portrait  of  one  of  Colonel  Thornton's 


The  Pointer  299 

dogs,  but  which  one  we  cannot  say.  Most  certainly  there  is  no  fox- 
hound apparent  in  that  dog. 

It  is  difficult  to  understand  why  the  old  timers  were  perpetually  cross- 
ing to  get  what  they  wanted,  without  considering  what  their  cross-bred 
dogs  would  produce  when  they  were  mated.  Our  breeders  do  not  think 
of  that,  but  select  along  the  line  wanted,  while  still  keeping  to  the  breed. 
It  was  not  until  dog  shows  and  the  stud  book  that  we  really  got  rid  of  this 
crossing  breeds,  and  at  this  date  it  is  almost  impossible  of  belief  that  as 
late  as  1868  breeders  of  the  highest  intelligence  and  of  the  greatest  experience 
were  calmly  discussing  and  approving  of  crossing  the  foxhound  on  the 
pointer.  Those  who  have  already  read  the  chapters  on  the  varieties  of 
the  setter  are  already  well  acquainted  with  ** Sixty-one"  and  "Idstone," 
the  pseudonyms  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hutchinson  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Pearce, 
both  thorough  dog  men.  A  correspondent  of  the  London  Field  wrote  that 
he  had  decided  upon  trying  the  pointer  and  foxhound  cross,  and  had  bred 
a  foxhound  bitch  to  a  pointer.  He  asked  for  information  as  to  what  points 
he  should  more  particularly  attend  to  in  choosing  puppies  for  rearing. 
American  readers  will  smile  when  told  that  this  gentleman  signed  his  letter 
"N.  G."  One  reply  was  to  the  effect  that  dogs  bred  thus  were  bad  tem- 
pered, and  not  easily  broken,  but  to  choose  puppies  that  favoured  the  pointer 
and  to  expect  little  benefit  until  the  cross  was  carried  through  another 
generation  or  two  of  the  pointer  blood.  "Sixty-one"  said:  "As  far  as 
my  experience  goes,  I  consider  the  foxhound  cross  with  the  pointer  most 
valuable."  "Idstone,"  while  deprecating  foreign  blood,  said  that  if  he 
used  a  cross  it  would  be  the  foxhound,  but  stated  that  in  his  opinion  there 
was  sufficient  sound  pointer  blood  to  be  had  to  obviate  any  necessity  of 
going  outside  for  invigorating  the  breed.  In  another  sentence  he  says: 
"If  the  pointer  must  be  crossed,  would  it  not  be  advisable  to  combine 
foxhound,  bulldog  and  greyhound.?"  What  a  splendid  lottery  breeding 
from  such  a  combination  would  be! 

Fortunately  for  the  good  of  the  breed,  there  were  plenty  of  gentlemen 
who  stuck  to  the  line  and  made  no  outside  casts,  selecting  their  best  and 
continuing  the  work  of  improvement  till  their  respective  strains  became 
established,  and  are  still  landmarks  to  trace  back  to.  It  is  not  necessary 
at  this  time  to  dwell  at  length  upon  those  strains,  for  they  have  pretty 
well  lost  their  identity  and  become  welded  into  the  breed  as  a  whole.  We 
refer  to  such  old-time  kennels  as  those  of  the  Earl  of  Derby,  Sir  E.  Antrobus, 


300  The  Dog  Book 

Lord  Sefton  and  Mr.  Edge,  the  two  latter  being  particularly  prominent 
owners  in  pedigrees  carried  well  back  at  the  time  the  first  English  stud  book 
was  compiled.  Mr.  Edge's  kennel  was  sold  in  1845  and  the  blood  widely 
distributed,  two  that  Mr.  Statter  bought  being  about  the  best  known  in  the 
way  of  pedigrees  traced  back  to  olden  times.  Coming  a  step  nearer  to 
the  present,  there  were  Mr.  Garth's  and  Mr.  Whitehouse's  kennels,  the 
former  being  the  breeder  of  that  wonderful  dog  Drake,  which  Stonehenge 
in  his  article  on  field  trials  dogs,  quoted  in  the  chapter  on  the  English  setter, 
placed  at  the  head  of  the  hst  of  the  five  entitled  to  be  considered  in  the 
first  class.  It  was  about  this  period  that  America  came  slightly  into  touch 
with  England,  but  to  such  a  limited  extent  that  we  find  out  of  the  165 
dogs  registered  in  the  first  volume  of  our  stud  book  only  about  a  dozen 
actual  importations.  A  good  many  trace  back  to  imported  ancestry,  but 
the  vast  majority  "take  to  the  woods"  in  two  or  three  generations. 

Among  the  recorded  importations  of  thirty  years  ago  none  is  better 
known  than  Sensation,  a  grandson  of  Whitehouse's  Hamlet.  He  was 
shown  abroad  and  registered  as  Don,  4963,  owner  Mr.  R.  Parr,  breeder 
Mr.  J.  R.  Humphreys,  and  pedigree  "not  on  record."  Sensation's  record 
in  England  was  not  of  high  mark;  three  firsts  and  three  seconds  at  some 
minor  shows,  four  of  them  being  Welsh  fixtures,  and  a  second  at  Birming- 
ham, of  which  a  great  deal  was  said  as  proving  Sensation's  claim  to  merit, 
but  it  was  a  second  in  a  class  of  two  for  medium-sized  dogs.  Backed  by 
the  Westminster  Kennel  Club  as  owner,  and  with  his  well-chosen  name, 
Sensation  became  the  rage,  but  he  was  a  very  faulty  dog,  and  notwith- 
standing his  being  run  after  for  years  as  a  stud  dog  he  never  sired  a  really 
good  one.  It  was  a  great  misfortune  that  a  better  selection  was  not  made, 
as  the  good  a  high-class  dog  would  have  done  is  incalculable.  The  St. 
Louis  Kennel  Club  also  got  a  Birmingham  winner  of  the  following  year, 
the  small-sized  Sleaford,  one  of  Mr.  Whitehouse's  breeding,  but  for  some 
reason  this  dog  did  not  take  here.  Still  his  name  crops  up  in  quite  a  num- 
ber of  pedigrees  of  good  dogs.  The  Western  club  then  secured  two  excel- 
lent dogs  in  Bow  and  Faust,  and  Mr.  A.  H.  Moore,  of  Philadelphia,  got 
Donald.  With  these  three  dogs  we  must  also  mention  the  kennel  of  small 
pointers  shown  by  Mr.  E.  Orgill,  of  Brooklyn;  Rush  and  Rose,  with  their 
sisters  Belle,  Pearl  and  Ruby,  being  all  nice  pointers.  Of  this  same  litter 
was  Beulah,  who  earned  fame  as  the  dam  of  that  grand  dog  Beaufort, 
by  Bow.     The  breeding  of  the  Orgill  litter  was  by  Flake  out  of  Lily,  by 


SLUT.  THE  POINTING  PIG 

From  Daniel's  "Rural  Sports."  1802 


SPANISH   POINTER 

Painted  by  G.  Stubbs.    From  Daniels  "Rural  Sports,"  i3o2 


The  Pointer  301 

Sam  out  of  Lily.  Flake  was  by  Dr.  Strachan's  Flash  out  of  a  very  pro- 
lific brood  bitch  known  as  Schieffelin's  Juno,  by  the  Marquis  of  West- 
minster's Ponto.  Juno  was  the  dam  of  Dr.  W.  S.  Webb's  Whiskey,  a 
winner  and  a  well-known  brood  bitch  in  her  day.  At  the  time  of  Beau- 
fort's successes  we  were  told  that  there  was  a  foreign  cross  close  up  on  his 
dam's  side;  but  while  she  was  short  pedigreed  on  two  or  three  of  the  lines, 
it  does  not  seem  possible  that  there  could  have  been  any  near  cross  breeding, 
otherwise  this  Flake-Guido  lot  would  not  have  been  so  exceedingly  excellent. 
We  have  Beulah's  extended  pedigree  before  us  as  we  write,  and  the  only 
line  carried  out  to  any  length  is  that  of  the  sire  of  Schieffelin's  Juno,  and 
this  dog,  Ponto,  came  from  the  Marquis  of  Westminster's  kennels.  No 
name  even  is  given  to  the  dam  of  Juno,  but  that  by  no  means  implies  that 
she  had  neither  name  nor  pedigree.  It  all  happened  thirty  or  more  years 
ago,  and  to  get  a  dog  from  Eaton  Hall  with  the  assurance  that  the  sire  was 
Ponto  might  have  been  all  Mr.  Schieffelin  cared  about  at  the  time,  and 
afterward  the  pedigree  probably  could  not  be  traced.  Flash,  the  sire 
of  Flake,  was  a  good  deal  of  a  native.  His  sire  George  was  brought  over 
by  Sir  Frederick  Bruce,  who  got  him  from  the  Duke  of  Beaufort,  and 
that  is  all  about  him.  Flash's  dam  was  General  Webb's  black  bitch  Peg, 
and  the  two  generations  of  names  beyond  her  mean  nothing  nowadays. 
As  to  Guido's  Lily,  dam  of  Beulah,  it  is  stated  that  three  of  the  four  in 
the  second  remove  in  her  pedigree  were  imported,  but  there  is  nothing 
that  means  anything  to  an  investigator  of  the  present  day  in  the  names 
or  owners  given.  Both  Flake  and  Guido  were  lemon  and  white,  Juno 
was  orange  and  white,  and  her  sire  Punto  was  also  lemon  and  white,  but 
Flash  and  his  dam  Peg  were  black.  The  Orgill  pointers  ran  to  lemon  and 
white,  but  Beulah  threw  liver  and  white  to  the  liver  and  white  Bow,  son 
of  Bang,  the  great  Enghsh  pillar  of  the  stud  book.  Prof.  W.  W.  Legare 
is  the  gentleman  entitled  to  the  credit  of  breeding  Beaufort,  after  which 
Beulah  passed  into  the  possession  of  Mr.  A.  H.  Moore,  of  Philadelphia, 
who  in  turn  presented  her  to  the  Hon.  John  S.  Wise,  who  certainly  tried 
hard  enough  to  produce  another  Beaufort,  but  success  does  not  always 
follow  effort  in  dog  breeding. 

The  Whitehouse  Kennels  and  Whitehouse's  Hamlet  had  a  great  repur 
tation  before  the  Bangs  came  out,  and  it  v/as  the  descent  from  Hamlet 
that  was  dwelt  upon  in  regard  to  Sensation;  but  looking  back  now  through 
the  pedigrees  of  some  dozen  of  the  crack  dogs  of  the  past  ten  years  the  one 


302  The  Dog  Book 

thing  forced  upon  our  attention  is  that  all  stud  dogs  have  to  bow  to  the 
great  Price's  Bang.  We  can  only  reach  Hamlet  through  him  at  this  dis- 
tance, except  in  a  very  occasional  cross,  but  we  meet  Bang  everywhere, 
and  that  not  only  in  the  good-looking  dogs  shown  at  the  shows,  but  the 
field  dogs  go  back  to  him  with  even  more  intensity  than  do  the  exhibition 
specimens.  There  was  Mainspring,  one  of  the  dogs  to  show  our  field- 
trials  men  that  setters  were  not  bound  to  win  everything.  He  was  by 
Bang's  son  Champion  Mike.  If  we  take  Mainspring's  son  Jingo  and 
look  at  his  dam's  pedigree  we  find  her  grandsire  was  by  that  other  remark- 
able son  of  the  old  dog.  Young  Bang;  while  there  is  a  double  cross  in  the 
grandam  of  the  dam  of  Jingo,  Kent  Bitters,  by  Champion  Priam,  by  Young 
Bang  out  of  Hops,  by  Champion  Mike.  If  we  turn  to  Rip-Rap  we  find  that 
he  is  a  grandson  of  Champion  Priam,  who  was  bred  to  Kent  Baby,  a  grand- 
daughter of  Bang,  and  produced  that  excellent  dog  Champion  King  of 
Kent,  sire  of  Rip-Rap.  The  latter's  dam  was  by  Champion  Mike.  Then 
all  the  Graphic  line,  all  the  Croxteth,  all  Vandervort's  Don's  descendants, 
have  come  from  Bang.  You  not  only  cannot  get  away  from  the  Bang 
blood,  but  the  more  you  can  get  in  a  pedigree  the  better  your  dog  is  likely 
to  be.  Mr.  Wise,  in  an  interesting  article  in  Recreation  on  dogs  he 
had  owned,  wound  up  by  saying  that  he  had  decided  to  breed  his  Beulah 
IV.  to  Strideaway,  because  of  his  three  crosses  of  Bang. 

A  very  interesting  sketch  of  Price's  Bang  in  manuscript,  but  which  we 
are  convinced  was  copied  from  some  English  paper,  has  been  in  our  pos- 
session for  some  time,  and  we  would  willingly  give  credit  to  the  author 
if  we  knew  who  he  was.  From  the  style  and  the  amount  of  information 
we  are  inclined  to  believe  it  is  one  of  Mr.  Lowe's  articles,  and  no  more 
reliable  writer  ever  penned  a  sketch  than  "Leatherhead."  If  the  author 
is  anyone  else  he  will  not  object  to  our  saying  that  it  is  equal  to  anything 
Mr.  Lowe  ever  wrote. 

"There  is  hardly  a  country  in  the  world  where  sporting  dogs  are 
used  that  has  not  boasted  at  some  time  or  other  of  a  descendant  of  Bang. 
They  have  been  eagerly  sought  after  from  Australia,  New  Zealand,  the 
Cape,  America,  Spain,  Germany,  France,  Russia,  to  our  knowledge,  and 
it  can  hardly  be  saying  too  much  when  we  assert  that  his  stock  were  more 
generally  known  than  that  of  any  dog  that  ever  figured  in  the  stud  book. 
Bang  was  bred  by  his  owner,  Sam  Price,  in  1870;  so  he  lived  to  the  ripe 
old  age  of  13^  years.     He  was  got  by  Mr.  Coham's  Bang,  son  of  Mr.  White- 


The  Pointer  303 

house's  Hamlet,  out  of  Vesta,  by  Brockton's  Bounce.  Bang  was  first 
seen  in  public  at  Shrewsbury  field  trials,  1871,  when  he  was  third  in  the 
pointer  puppy  stakes,  won  by  Mr.  Statter's  Pride,  the  second  going  to 
Bang's  brother  Beppo,  but  Mr.  Price  was  soon  aware  that  Bang  was  better, 
so  he  sold  Beppo,  thus  retaining  the  future  champion.  The  following 
year  Bang  came  out  again  at  the  Devon  and  Cornwall  trials,  and  we  can 
well  recollect  how  grandly  he  worked  against  a  lemon  and  white  dog  of 
Bishop's  called  Rock,  and  a  smart  little  dog  of  Mr.  Body's  called  Ranger, 

"At  this  time  Mr.  Price  had  commenced  breeding  from  Bang,  and  the 
following  year  brought  a  young  dog  of  his  called  Pat,  who  was  no  match 
for  Bang  in  the  braces,  while  Brackenberry's  Romp  (dam  of  Mr.  Statter's 
Romp)  bested  him  in  the  singles.  Bang  was  in  something  more  like  his 
old  form  in  the  next  season,  as  with  his  first  real  good  son,  Mike,  he  made 
a  splendid  brace  at  the  Devon  and  Cornwall,  winning  two  stakes,  one 
an  all-ages  stakes,  Mike  also  winning  the  puppy  stakes.  So  elated  was 
Mr.  Price  that  he  made  a  journey  to  Shrewsbury  with  the  sire  and  the 
son,  and  against  fourteen  of  the  picked  braces  of  England  they  came  out 
first  in  brilliant  form.  This  feat  was  repeated  for  three  seasons  in  suc- 
cession, and  it  would  not  have  been  difficult  to  have  named  Bang  and  Mike 
as  the  best  brace  of  pointers  in  the  world. 

"At  several  other  field  trials  Bang  figured  well  up  to  the  fore,  his 
extraordinary  style  and  bold  way  of  coming  onto  his  birds  being  very 
telling,  and  he  was  a  very  dangerous  dog  for  any  other  to  come  against. 
At  shows  he  very  soon  took  the  lead  also,  and  until  he  began  to  show  age 
was  never  beaten.  He  was  a  big  pointer,  possessing  enormous  bone,  and 
his  proportions  were  faultless,  though  perhaps  on  the  coarse  side,  his  coat 
being  more  of  the  pin-wire  order  than  most  of  the  show  dogs,  and  his  head 
bolder  and  blunter  than  some  of  the  high-bred  ones.  He  was  a  champion 
at  the  Crystal  Palace  and  won  that  prize  several  times,  also  the  twenty- 
guineas  cup  for  the  best  field-trials  pointer  shown  at  the  Palace  in  1874. 
He  regularly  'farmed'  all  the  shows  in  the  Western  counties  as  well. 

"As  a  sire  no  pointer  has  ever  equalled  Champion  Bang  in  getting 
both  show  and  field-trials  performers,  his  produce  including  Mike,  a  show 
and  field-trials  winner;  Bow  Bells,  a  show  and  field-trials  winner;  Don 
(Vandervort's)  a  show  and  field-trials  winner  in  America;  Bang  Bang,  with 
a  similar  record;  Bow,  the  same;  and  such  winners  at  field  trials  as  Whim, 
Laurel,    Blanche    and    innumerable   others.     As    to    bench-show   wmners, 


304  The  Dog  Book 

they  are  too  numerous  to  mention,  but  we  may  name  Lilac,  Bang  II., 
Tiding,  Bona  Belle  and  Maggie,  and  quite  a  tribe  of  beautiful  bitches,  such 
as  Shotover,  Quickshot,  Belle  of  Bow,  Meally,  etc.  In  fact,  they  are  too 
many  to  name.  He  kept  getting  good  stock  up  to  the  end,  as  he  was  eleven 
years  old  when  he  got  Bang  Bang,  while  several  others  in  the  possession 
of  Mr.  Price  are  much  younger  than  that. 

"His  extraordinary  merit  also  descends  to  further  generations,  as  shown 
in  Priam,  Romp,  Graphic,  Lake,  Tramp  II.  and  others,  while  some  of 
the  best  pointers  out  have  been  bred  from  his  daughters  and  granddaughters. 
It  is  a  strain  so  bred  into  that  we  are  never  likely  to  lose  it,  and  fifty  years 
hence  there  will  doubtless  be  numerous  records  to  remind  breeders  of  a  day 
when  there  lived  a  pillar  of  the  stud  book  known  as  Champion  Bang." 

True  as  that  was  when  written  at  the  time  of  his  death,  it  has  still 
more  force  to-day,  for  his  blood  was  then  only  known  as  a  first  cross  or 
perhaps  once  interbred,  while  at  this  distance  of  time  we  have  it  interwoven 
all  through  the  pedigrees  of  our  cracks,  showing  it  to  be  the  great  surviving . 
blood.  In  his  time,  too,  there  were  the  Pilkington  dogs,  the  kennel  from 
which  Tory,  Garnet,  Jessie  and  Faust  came,  and  later  on  Meteor,  but  they 
are  no  longer  prominent  compared  with  the  Bangs.  The  most  concentrated 
instance  of  Pilkington  breeding  that  was  in  this  country  was  probably 
Spinaway,  who  was  by  Garnet,  out  of  the  St.  Louis  Kennel  Club's  Keswick. 
Spinaway  was  the  dam  of  Robert  le  Diable,  by  Croxteth,  and  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  latter  was  by  Young  Bang,  who  ran  any  of  the  sons  of 
the  old  dog  a  good  race  for  first  honours  as  the  best  of  Bang's  sons.  Perhaps 
Young  Bang  was  assisted  in  attaining  his  excellence  by  a  piece  of  rather 
unusual  inbreeding,  and  that  is  to  the  sire  of  Hamlet.  Coham's  Bang 
was  as  we  know  the  sire  of  Champion  Bang.  Coham's  Bang  was  by  Hamlet 
out  of  Venus,  each  of  which  was  by  Bird's  Bob,  whose  dam  came  from 
the  kennel  of  Joseph  Lang,  the  gunmaker,  always  a  famous  one  for  good 
dogs.  The  dam  of  Young  Bang  was  Davey's  Luna,  who  was  by  a  son  of 
this  same  Bob,  and  Luna's  dam  was  also  by  a  son  of  Bob. 

The  first  of  the  Bang  family  to  come  to  this  country,  at  least  the  first 
of  any  prominence,  was  Bow,  which  Mr.  T.  H.  Scott  brought  over  in  1878, 
when  the  dog  was  four  years  old.  When  Bow  arrived  in  the  West  he 
was  in  very  bad  condition.  We  remember  the  late  Charley  Lincoln  empha- 
sising the  excellence  of  codliver  oil  as  a  skin  application  by  giving  an  account 
of  the  fearful  condition  that  Bow  was  in  and  the  marvellously  short  time 


RIDGEVIEW   SADDLEBACK 

One  of  the  few  surviving  Graphics  still  living.    Owned  by  Mr.  J.  L.  Hinkley,  of  Poughkeepsie.     Mr.  R.  E.  Westlake  also  has  an  eleven-years-old 

bitch  still  able  to  do  her  day's  work  afield 


CHAMPION   GRAPHIC 

Not  a  very  good  pose,  but  a  photograph  which  shows  much  of  the  "  quality  "  he  so  amply  possessed 


The  Pointer  305 

in  which  he  coated  out.  Mr.  Thomas,  in  his  address  to  the  Pointer  Club 
at  Dayton,  O.,  a  year  ago,  on  dogs  he  had  known,  told  of  his  meeting  Mr. 
Scott  with  the  dog  in  the  field,  and  his  account  agrees  with  that  of  Lincoln. 
Notwithstanding  the  condition  of  the  dog,  Mr.  Sterling  gave  %oo  for  him, 
and  from  this  gentleman  the  dog  was  passed  to  the  St.  Louis  Kennel  Club, 
and  later  on  was  sold  to  Mr.  Odell,  of  New  Orleans,  in  whose  possession 
he  died  in  August,  1884.  Very  shortly  after  Bow's  arrival  Mr.  J.  C.  Macdona 
brought  over  quite  the  best  dog  imported  to  the  East  so  far,  Croxteth,  by 
Young  Bang,  and  Mr.  GodefFroy,  of  Guymard,  bought  him.  Croxteth 
was  a  great  deal  more  of  a  pointer  to  our  mind  than  Sensation,  and  ad- 
mitting all  that  was  said  about  his  mistakes  at  the  Robins  Island  trials,  who 
that  saw  his  really  sensational  work  will  ever  forget  the  revelation  he  gave 
of  what  a  pointer  was  capable  of  in  throwing  himself  into  sensational 
attitudes  the  moment  he  caught  scent.  He  was  beaten,  counted  out  politi- 
cally in  a  sense.  One  bad  fault  in  Croxteth  from  a  show  point  of  view 
was  his  light  eyes.  This  is  a  matter  that  also  calls  for  attention  at  the 
present  time,  as  there  are  far  too  many  yellow  and  light  eyes  to  be  seen  on 
the  benches  now,  and  it  is  a  fault  easy  to  acquire  and  hard  to  breed  out. 
Croxteth  was  bred  to  quite  extensively,  and  he  was  really  the  only  dog  of 
his  day  in  the  East  to  which  any  reasonable  number  of  present-day  field 
and  show  dogs  trace  back. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  setters  were  the  popular  shooting  dog  of 
that  period,  quite  a  number  of  good  pointers  were  being  imported.  In 
1879  the  St.  Louis  Kennel  Club  brought  over  Faust,  Keswick,  Jessamine  and 
three  others  which  seem  to  have  left  no  mark.  Then  Mr.  A.  H.  Moore, 
of  Philadelphia,  took  up  the  breed  for  show  purposes  and  got  over  Donald 
and  a  few  bitches.  Donald  was  a  medium-sized  dog  of  Lord  Sefton's  line 
on  the  sire's  side  and  out  of  a  Hamlet  bitch.  He  was  a  Birmingham  winner, 
besides  taking  a  first  in  Sam  Price's  district — at  Bristol.  It  was  not  until 
Mr.  Anthony,  many  years  later,  bought  this  dog  and  got  from  him  one  of 
the  sensational  litters  produced  at  the  Graphic  Kennels  that  American 
breeders  realised  what  opportunities  they  had  missed  when  breeding  to 
dogs  of  fictitious  reputation  and  overlooking  this  pointer.  We  believe  we 
are  correct  in  stating  that  two  bitches  were  the  total  public  support  when 
Donald  was  in  Mr.  Moore's  possession. 

In  1 88 1  the  St.  Louis  Kennel  Club  imported  Meteor,  and  Mr.  Vander- 
vort  brought  out  his  Don.     Meteor  was  a  Pilkington  dog,  bv  Garnet  out 


3o6  The  Dog  Book 

of  Jilt,  and  Don,  as  previously  stated,  was  of  the  Bang  family.  Meteor's 
fame,  or  more  properly  his  notoriety,  rests  largely  upon  his  being  placed 
over  Beaufort  at  New  York  in  1884.  The  result  was  the  most  aggressive 
correspondence  that  was  probably  ever  published  on  dog  matters  in  any 
country.  Mr.  Sterling  placed  Meteor  first  in  a  very  strong  champion 
class  in  which  were  Beaufort,  Croxteth  and  several  others.  Beaufort 
was  immeasurably  the  best  dog  in  the  class  and  Croxteth  the  next  best. 
As  an  illustration  of  how  show  matters  were  misconducted  in  the  anti-A.K.C. 
times,  the  following  summing  up  of  the  "Pointer  Protest"  case,  taken  from 
the  American  Kennel  Register,  of  September,  1884,  will  prove  interest- 
ing to  exhibitors  who  have  always  shown  under  present  rules  and 
government. 

"Mr.  Munson  has  stated  over  his  signature  that  at  the  time  he  made 
his  entries  for  New  York  the  bitch  Vanity  was  the  joint  property  of  himself 
and  Mr.  Sterling  [the  judge  at  New  York  that  year].  He  also  states  that 
he  has  the  show  rights  of  Meteor,  but  against  this  there  are  the  reiterated 
statements  of  Colonel  Hughes  that  he  owns  Meteor,  and  he  makes  no 
allusion  to  Mr.  Munson's  claim.  Mr.  Munson  also  stated  that  he  advised 
the  club  of  the  ownership  of  the  dogs  he  entered.  Mr.  Sterling  knew  of  his 
own  interest  in  Vanity  at  the  time  the  entries  were  made,  and  we  have 
every  reason  to  assume  that,  being  on  such  intimate  terms  with  Colonel 
Hughes,  he  knew  who  owned  Meteor.  .  .  .  Meteor  won  in  the  cham- 
pion dog  class,  but  when  it  came  to  the  bitch  class  in  which  Vanity  was 
entered  Mr.  Sterling,  on  account  of  his  part  ownership  at  the  time  of  entry 
[he  later  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  Munson,  it  was  said],  had  Mr.  De  Forest 
Grant  to  give,  or  assist  in  giving,  the  decision,  and  we  are  under  the  im- 
pression that  the  same  course  was  adopted  when  Meteor  and  Vanity  were 
shown  as  a  brace. 

"The  blunders  made  in  the  judging  ring  to  our  mind  were  these: 
Mr.  Sterling  for  his  own  sake  should  have  said  to  the  club,  'Vanity  has  no 
business  in  the  ring.  I  partly  owned  her  when  your  entries  closed,  and 
you  must  order  her  out,  for  I  will  not  judge  her.'  ...  In  the  brace 
prize  we  come  across  further  complications  in  the  fact  that  two  dogs  came 
before  Mr.  Sterling  for  a  prize  *for  the  best  pair  of  pointers  to  be  owned  by 
one  individual  or  club,*  and  these  dogs  were,  to  the  judges'  knowledge, 
owned  separately  and  by  three  individuals  when  entered."  The  occasion 
was  then  taken  to  show  the  need  of  a  governing  body  which  would  put  a 


The  Pointer  307 

stop    to    such    proceedings,  and   it  was  about  two  months  later  that  the 
American  Kennel  Club  was  started. 

What  foundation  Mr.  C.  H.  Mason  had  for  calling  upon  Mr.  Munson 
to  prove  that  the  dog  shown  as  Meteor  was  actually  a  dog  bred  by  Mr. 
Pilkington,  and  by  Garnet  out  of  Jilt,  was  never  known.  The  challenge 
was  not  taken  up  and  the  promised  disclosures  were  not  forthcoming. 
The  influence  of  this  dog  does  not  compare  with  that  of  many  others,  and 
he  was  individually  not  a  high-class  dog.  In  thus  criticising  this  Western 
favourite  we  know  those  who  believed  in  him  will  not  agree,  but  he  was 
very  faulty  in  head,  his  neck  was  short,  and  so  was  his  body,  he  was  leggy 
and  stilty,  and  above  all  he  lacked  the  quality  so  essential  in  a  pointer  of 
class.  When  the  St.  Louis  sportsmen  had  such  good  type  pointers  as 
Bow,  Faust  and  Keswick  for  comparison,  it  was  inconceivably  strange  that 
they  went  so  astray  regarding  this  dog.  Whether  the  notoriety  of  the 
"Pointer  Protest"  business  caused  the  pointer  men  in  St.  Louis  to  stop 
we  know  not,  but  that  was  about  the  end  of  the  importations  of  dogs  to  that 
city,  and  kennel  interests  fell  off  very  much. 

The  Western  dogs  were  not*  missed,  however,  for  during  1885  a  new 
Richmond  took  the  field  in  the  person  of  Mr.  James  L.  Anthony,  of  New 
York,  who  startled  the  kennel  world  by  importing  the  famed  English 
champion  Graphic,  and  a  valuable  brood  bitch,  Nell  of  EfFord,  from  Mr. 
Norrish's  kennels  in  Devonshire.  We  saw  Graphic  in  England  during 
the  preceding  winter  and  had  a  commission  to  buy  him  if  we  thought  he 
could  beat  Beaufort.  The  price  asked  was  ^2,400,  and  that  would  not 
have  been  too  much  if  the  dog  was  what  was  wanted,  but  we  could  not 
conscientiously  advise  the  purchase,  and  our  judgment  was  supported  when 
the  dogs  finally  met  under  Mr.  Davidson  at  Newark.  Graphic  was  a  good 
dog,  a  dog  of  exceptional  merit,  and  we  owe  a  vast  debt  to  Mr.  Anthony 
for  bringing  him  to  this  country,  and  also  the  dogs  which  followed :  Bracket, 
Meally,  Revel  IIL,  Lad  of  Bow,  Lass  of  Bow  and  Beppo  IIL  That  was 
a  collection  of  pointers  such  as  no  person  ever  owned  in  this  country,  before 
or  since,  and  they  bred  on  and  produced  better  than  themselves  in  some 
instances.  To  these  was  added  Donald,  got  from  Mr.  Moore,  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  a  most  valuable  acquisition  he  proved  as  a  stud  dog. 

Of  course  these  good-looking  dogs  were  attacked  as  being  useless  in 
the  field,  but  not  only  did  some  of  them  run  in  English  trials,  but  they 
were  shown  on  game  here,  and  it  was  well  known  were  regularly  shot  over. 


3o8  The  Dog  Book 

Mr.  Anthony  formed  a  partnership  with  the  late  Mr.  Charles  Heath,  of 
Newark,  and  he  never  missed  an  opportunity  of  having  his  dogs  out  with 
the  gun  and  made  regular  trips  to  the  South  each  winter. 

Graphic's  first  appearance  was  at  the  Pittsburg  show  of  1886,  and  we 
well  remember  the  interest  that  was  taken  in  the  first  entry  of  the  Graphic 
Kennels.  Major  Taylor  judged,  and  when  it  came  to  the  special  for  the 
best  pointer  he  gave  it  to  Robert  le  Diable  over  Revel  III.  and  Graphic. 
This  was  entirely  wrong,  for  not  only  was  Graphic  much  the  better  dog,  but 
Revel  III.,  who  won  her  first  American  blue  ribbon  here,  was  also  better 
than  Robert  le  Diable.  Bracket  defeated  Bang  Bang,  and  in  the  small- 
sized  pointer  class  Meally  should  also  have  won,  but  by  some  unaccountable 
reasoning  first  went  to  the  very  moderate  Jetsam,  owned  by  the  show-giving 
club,  and  Keswick  II.,  in  deplorable  condition,  won  second  for  the  St. 
Louis  club.  At  Newark,  which  was  held  soon  after  Pittsburg,  Mr.  David- 
son judged,  and  here  Mr.  Charles  H.  Mason's  Beaufort  beat  Graphic, 
but  the  Graphic  Kennels  owners  had  the  gratification  of  winning  the  pointer 
special  with  Revel  III.  We  always  considered  Graphic  a  better  pointer 
than  Revel  III.,  so  we  did  not  believe  in  the  correctness  of  the  decision.  As 
two  such  good  dogs  as  Beaufort  and  Graphic  have  never  been  in  competi- 
tion in  this  country  at  any  time,  and  both  had  their  admirers,  we  will  quote 
our  criticism  upon  these  dogs  and  Revel  written  at  the  time  of  the  Newark 
show:  "Beaufort  has  the  advantage  of  Graphic  in  head,  particularly 
in  squareness  and  proportion  of  muzzle,  beauty  of  eye,  in  skull  and  set  of 
ears.  Graphic  has  a  little  the  best  of  it  in  neck,  it  being  better  arched 
and  free  from  throatiness;  while  Beaufort  is  somewhat  throaty,  although 
his  neck  is  not  so  thick  as  Graphic's.  In  shoulders,  chest,  back  and  fore 
legs  both  are  grand.  In  loin  Beaufort  is  well  arched,  while  Graphic  is 
comparatively  flat.  In  quarters  and  stifles  Beaufort  is  the  best  and  much 
the  best  in  second  thighs,  and  has  by  far  the  best  tail.  There  is  not  much 
diff"erence  in  feet;  Beaufort's  are  the  larger,  but  the  toes  are  well  arched, 
and  the  pads  are  firm  and  of  good  thickness.  Graphic  is  just  a  bit  too 
short  coupled,  while  Beaufort  is  very  good  in  this  respect.  In  appearance 
of  coat  Graphic  had  a  slight  advantage,  as  his  was  new,  while  Beaufort 
had  not  cast  his.  Both  are  very  symmetrical  and  full  of  quality,  with  the 
advantage  slightly  in  favour  of  Beaufort  in  the  former  and  with  Graphic 
in  the  latter."  With  regard  to  the  Revel  III.  decision,  we  then  wrote: 
"We  cannot  agree  with  the  judge  in  placing  Revel  III.  over  Beaufort  for 


A   ROW   OF   TEN    FROM   THE   TOPNOTCH    KENNELS 


" STEADY " 

A  ■•  Topnotch  "  on  Long  Island 


BANNER    FASKALLY 

Taken  in  North  Carolina 


LADY  WESTLAKE 

WESTLAKE  ORNAMENT 

In  Pennsylvania 


■^■^C^#i 


THE  GRAPHIC   KENNELS'  TEAM  OF  FOUR 

BRACKET  REVEL   III. 


The  Pointer  309 

the  special,  for  the  best  pointer.  She  is  not  so  good  in  head  even  as  Graphic, 
and  not  nearly  so  good  in  neck  as  Beaufort,  neither  has  she  so  good  a  tail, 
and  has  not  enough  the  best  of  him  in  other  respects  to  overcome  these  points. 
She  is  a  very  taking  animal  to  look  at,  and,  as  we  have  before  remarked, 
is  the  best  large  bitch  we  have  ever  seen,  but  we  do  not  think  she  is  quite 
good  enough  to  beat  Graphic  even."  Mr.  Anthony  thought  otherwise, 
and  his  opinion  was  that  at  that  show  Revel  III.  was  the  best  in  his  kennel. 

The  late  J.  M.  Tracy  judged  at  New  York  a  month  later,  and  he 
also  put  Robert  le  Diable  over  Graphic,  but  it  was  not  accepted  without 
protest;  indeed  Forest  and  Stream,  then  the  leading  kennel  paper  in  New 
York,  stated  that  "last  year  and  the  year  before  the  pointer  judging  was 
remarkable  for  the  number  of  erroneous  decisions  made,  and  we  regret 
there  was  no  improvement  this  year  in  this  respect."  Exhibitors  of  the 
present  day  have  little  idea  of  what  owners  had  to  put  up  with  twenty 
years  ago  in  the  way  of  judging. 

We  cannot  devote  the  space  that  would  be  necessary  to  give  anything 
like  an  adequate  idea  of  the  successes  of  the  Graphic  Kennels  during  the 
next  few  years,  but  it  was  anything  but  a  pleasant  experience  outside  of 
winning  prizes,  for  the  length  to  which  personal  attacks  were  permitted 
in  the  press  at  that  time  can  hardly  be  imagined  now.  Mr.  Anthony  stood 
it  as  long  as  he  could  and  then  pulled  up  stakes.  From  the  third  and 
last  edition  of  their  kennel  catalogue  we  quote:  "We  have  been  driven 
from  the  arena  of  competition  on  the  one  hand  by  libellous  and  vindictive 
partisans  who  have  been  permitted  not  only  the  use  but  the  abuse  of  the 
kennel  press  to  belittle  the  kennel,  and,  if  possible,  to  injure  us;  on  the 
other  by  judges  in  the  field  who  did  not  know  good  work  when  they  saw 
it,  while  in  the  show-ring  kennel  partners  of  exhibitors  are  at  times  appointed 
to  judge  their  own  partners'  dogs  in  competition  with  those  of  outsiders." 
There  was  a  great  deal  more  truth  than  poetry  in  that  statement,  and  the 
Graphic  Kennels  disposed  of  some  of  their  dogs  and  divided  the  others. 

Mention  must  be  made  of  some  of  the  breeding  done  by  the  Graphic 
Kennels.  From  Donald  and  Revel  III.  came  two  good  litters,  one  of 
which  included  Rumor,  Slander,  Revel  VI.  and  Donald  VI.  The  first 
two  names  were  aimed  at  those  who  had  been  attacking  the  kennels.  Rumor 
was  a  most  exquisite  small-sized  dog,  but  just  as  he  was  old  enough  to 
show  the  decision  to  withdraw  was  arrived  at  and  he  was  never  exhibited. 
Mr.  Anthony  held  at  the  time  that  this  was  the  best  pointer  the  kennel 


3IO  The  Dog  Book 

had  ever  had;  the  others  named  were  also  of  high  merit.  A  younger 
brother  to  Rumor  was  a  New  York  winner  for  Mr.  Muss  Atnolt,  who  had 
quite  a  nice  kennel  of  pointers  at  that  time.  The  last  occasion  of  the  Graphic 
partners  showing  at  New  York  was  in  1888,  when  Bracket  beat  Robert 
le  Diable,  Revel  III.  won  in  her  class  and  Lass  of  Bow  in  open  heavy 
bitches;  her  brother  Lad  of  Bow  being  beaten  by  Fritz,  a  good  son  of 
Beaufort,  who  unfortunately  produced  nothing  anyway  near  as  good  as 
himself.  Mr.  Heath  continued  for  a  year  or  two  to  show  Graphic,  Revel 
in.  and  those  which  he  had  for  his  share,  and  Bracket  was  afterward 
shown  by  Mr.  Muss  Arnolt. 

Nothing  has  been  said  about  what  the  Westminster  Kennel  Club  had 

been   doing  during  this  time.     This  was  essentially  a   pointer  club,  but 

as  it  never  exhibited  at  its  own  show  in  New  York,  the  only  wins  the  W.  K.  C. 

dogs   obtained   were   elsewhere.     Sensation   we   have   already   mentioned. 

After  him  came  the  smaller  Bang  Bang,  by  Bang,  who  had  made  a  very 

nice  record  in  England  and  on  the  Continent  in  field  trials.     He  was  quite 

a  different  type  of  dog  from  Sensation.     One  of  the  few  lemon  and  whites 

of  the  Bang  strain,  he  had  a  black  nose  and  was  dark  about  the  eyes,  which 

were  considered  dreadful  drawbacks  to  this  quite  good  little  dog.     After 

that  came  Naso  of  Kipping.     Now  this  was  a  pointer,  and  if  the  W.  K.  C. 

had  begun  with  a  dog  like  this  we  think  the  Babylon  Kennels  would  have 

become  world  famous.     When  we  first  saw  this  dog  we  wondered  what  the 

partisans  of  Sensation  and  of  Bang  Bang,  each  of  which  had  in  turn  been 

one  of  the  nine  wonders  of  dogdom  according  to  their  claims,  could  possibly 

think  of  the  old  dogs  when  the  newcomer  was  in  front  of  them,  or  how  they 

could  reconcile  the  widely  different  types  of  the  three  as  each  being  correct 

and  a  world  beater.     Naso  of  Kipping  was  not  quite  right  about  the  eyes,  a 

sort  of  ferrety  look,  perhaps  from  their  being  rather  small,  and  there  was  not 

quite  enough  stop.     The  eyes  were  also  a  little  light  in  colour.     After  that 

was  said,  and  perhaps  a  passing  reference  to  the  benefit  of  a  little  more 

squareness  to  the  muzzle,  one  had  to  go  over  Naso  from  all  points  of  view 

to  find  any  more  faults,  and  the  more  one  looked  at  him  the  better  pleased 

he  was  bound  ro  be.     His  muscular  development  was  superb,  and  without 

any  heaviness  in  shoulders.     As  he  was  as  well  bred  as  anything  ever 

imported,  being  by  Naso  II.  out  of  Maggie,  by  Champion  Bang  out  of 

Leach's  Belle,  it  would  have  been  very  remarkable  had  this  dog  not  proved 

of  great  use  at  Babylon.     Outsiders  were  not  slow  to  recognise  what  kind 


The  Pointer  311 

of  pointer  this  was,  and  young  Naso  puppies  were  soon  seen  and  got  into 
the  prize  Hsts.  Another  dog  that  got  a  good  many  very  nice  puppies  was 
Tammany,  owned  by  Mr.  F.  R.  Hitchcock,  but  he  could  not  avoid  trans- 
mitting some  of  his  defects,  of  which  he  had  a  good  many,  though  he  was 
pointer  enough  to  always  claim  recognition  when  in  the  ring. 

There  was  one  dog,  however,  that  came  out  in  1890  as  a  puppy  that 
was  destined  for  a  most  successful  show  career,  and  that  was  Lad  of  Kent, 
bred  and  owned  by  Mr.  George  Jarvis.  He  was  sired  by  Bracket,  and 
out  of  Renie,  who  was  by  Tammany.  Lad  of  Kent  lasted  uncommonly 
well,  being  able  to  take  first  in  open  and  winners  up  to  1900,  when  he  was 
eleven  years  old.  The  Hempstead  Farm  Kennels  was  at  this  time  inter- 
ested in  pointers,  but  it  was  never  shown  that  any  particular  line  was  being 
followed,  dogs  and  bitches  of  all  and  almost  any  breeding  being  got  together, 
of  which  the  most  successful  that  we  can  recall  were  Duke  of  Hessen  and 
Woolton  Game.  Robert  le  Diable  was  added  to  this  kennel  when  getting 
on  in  years,  but  Lad  of  Kent  had  his  measure  in  the  heavy-weight  classes. 
A  new  competitor  at  New  York  in  the  early  nineties  was  Mr.  T.  G.  Davey, 
of  London,  Ont.,  who  had  been  quite  a  setter  man  at  one  time.  He  went 
in  largely  for  Graphic  Kennels  stock,  and  at  New  York  in  1892  showed 
a  very  strong  team,  winning  the  kennel  prize  with  Westminster  Drake, 
by  Lad  of  Bow,  Revelation,  by  Graphic,  and  Lady  Gay  Spanker  and 
Miss  Rumor,  by  Rumor  out  of  Lady  Norrish.  Mr.  Davey  used  his  dogs  in 
the  field,  but  wanted  them  good  looking,  and  this  combination  was  the  means 
of  his  disposing  of  a  good  lot  of  dogs  at  a  very  remunerative  price  to  Mr. 
George  Gould  for  show  and  shooting  purposes.  Dr.  Daniels,  of  Cleveland, 
also  went  in  for  the  same  stock  so  far  as  Graphic  sires  were  concerned, 
but  was  not  quite  so  successful  as  the  Canadian  fancier.  Dr.  Daniels 
was  more  fortunate  later  on,  when  he  got  that  good  dog  Plain  Sam. 

How  potent  the  blood  introduced  by  Mr.  Anthony  was  is  well  illustrated 
by  the  results  at  New  York  in  1903,  five  years  after  he  had  retired,  when 
six  firsts  and  three  each  of  seconds  and  thirds  fell  to  the  credit  of  first- 
generation  descendants  of  dogs  imported  in  1885  and  1886.  The  Rinada 
Kennel  was  another  prominent  factor  at  this  time,  but  it  was  a  short-lived 
combination  of  good  dogs,  to  one  of  whom,  Prince  Regent,  we  owe  many 
good  descendants.  Mr.  George  S.  Mott  bred  his  Spinett  to  Prince  Regent 
and  got  Sir  Walter,  Prince's  Lad,  Prince's  Boy,  Sir  George,  and  one  or 
two   others,  all   good-looking    pointers  and  one  or  two  exceedingly  good. 


312  Xhe  Dog  Book 

By  judicious  mating  Mr.  Mott  succeeded  in  keeping  well  to  the  front  up 
to  the  time  of  his  retiring  a  year  ago.  For  some  time  most  of  the  dogs 
named  were  shown  in  Mr.  Brokaw's  name,  that  gentleman  having  purchased 
them,  Mr.  Mott  still  having  them  in  charge;  and  when  Mr.  Brokaw  gave 
up  exhibiting  some  of  the  best  were  repurchased  b]^  their  breeder. 

At  this  time  the  Strideaway  line  began  to  attract  attention,  and 
through  Dustaway  and  his  descendants  it  is  an  excellent  strain,  breeding 
true  and  producing  dogs  of  merit.  Another  strain  that  also  came  before 
the  public  in  the  nineties,  and  has  bred  on  and  improved,  is  that  of  Mr. 
R.  E.  Westlake,  now  of  Mill  City,  Pa.  It  is  about  twenty  years  since 
we  judged  at  a  small  show  at  Wilkesbarre  and  there  met  an  enthusiastic 
pointer  exhibitor  who  proved  to  be  Mr.  Westlake.  Acting  upon  Mr. 
Mason's  advice,  he  had  purchased  a  pointer  which  was  bred  to  Beaufort, 
and  from  Westlake  Grace's  first  litter  two  first-prize  puppies  resulted. 
Mr.  Charles  Heath  had  also  befriended  the  man  who  was  not  afraid  to 
ask  for  information,  and  perhaps  to  him  more  than  anyone  else  is  due  the 
present  position  of  the  Westlakes,  for  his  watchword  was:  "Improve 
your  brood  bitches  by  careful  selection."  The  first  selection  from  this 
Beaufort  litter  was  the  peculiarly-named  bitch  Beau  Beaufort,  who  was 
bred  to  Robert  le  Diable,  and  from  that  litter  Molly  Beaufort  was  picked 
out  as  the  best.  Molly  was  so  like  her  sire  in  colour  and  markings  and 
her  owner  thought  so  much  of  her,  that  he  entered  her  in  three  classes 
at  New  York.  He  was  sent  out  without  a  mention,  came  in  for  the  second 
class  and  again  got  the  gate.  He  was  on  hand  early  for  the  third  class, 
when  the  judge  asked  him  what  was  the  use  of  his  coming  in  again.  The 
reason  for  the  success  of  the  kennels  may  be  surmised  in  the  answer:  "Well, 
sir,  I  have  paid  for  three  classes,  and  if  the  chain  holds  out  I  propose  going 
through  the  programme."  Then  he  asked  if  he  had  not  a  pointer  worth 
noticing.  "Yes,"  was  the  answer,  "if  you  had  not  clipped  her  tail."  The 
tail  being  clipped  was  certainly  not  the  novice  exhibitor's  doing,  but  it 
served  its  turn,  and  when  on  the  top  of  that  came  an  offer  which  was  raised 
to  ^300  and  refused,  the  young  man  from  the  coal  regions  went  home  with 
a  very  large  amount  of  food  for  thought.  At  New  York  arrangements 
had  been  made  to  breed  Molly  to  Lad  of  Kent,  artd  from  this  mating  came 
no  less  than  ten  winners,  three  of  which  became  champions:  Belle  Westlake, 
Westlake's  Startle  and  Daisy  Bell.  Westlake  Startle  won  the  Brokaw 
Challenge  Cup,  which  called  for  five  wins  to  take  it  outright.     She  was 


FASKALLY  BRAGG . 
An  English  celebrity  imported  by  Mr.  Clarenie  H.  Mackay 


CHAMPION  OREGON'S  JESSIE  ii. 

Mr.  R.  B.  Adams's  high  quality  lightweight  pointer 


CHAMPION  REVEL  III. 

A  striking  natural  pose  of  this  Graphic  KennJs  crack 


CHAMPION  DONALD 
Imported  by  Mr.  A,  H.  Moore ;  owned  later  by  the  Graphic  Kennels 


CHAMPION  SIR  WALTER 
The  best  of  the  good  dogs  of  Mr.  G.  S.  Mott  s  breeding 


BEPPO  III. 

Dr.  Daniel  purchased  this  son  of  Bow  from  Graphic  Kennels  in  1892 


I 


I 


The  Pointer  313 

the  next  selection  in  the  march  of  improvement,  and  was  bred  to  Sir  Walter, 
and  the  result  was  ten  dogs  and  bitches  that  proved  able  to  win  prizes.  In 
this  litter  were  the  champions  Westlake  Surprise  and  Westlake  Ornament. 
Startle  was  also  bred  to  Mott  Regent,  a  brother  to  Sir  Walter,  and 
Westlake  Chancellor  from  that  litter  took  a  first  at  New  York  in  1903, 
at  which  show  Westlake  Surprise  won  in  winners'  class  and  in  1904  took 
the  reserve  to  her  sister  Ornament.  Since  then,  we  believe,  Mr.  Westlake 
has  been  experimenting  in  interbreeding  between  the  progeny  of  Startle, 
but  as  he  has  not  been  exhibiting  this  year,  owing  to  an  accident  in  the 
late  winter,  we  have  yet  to  learn  with  what  success. 

We  have  dwelt  a  little  more  at  length  on  what  has  been  accomplished 
by  this  gentleman,  because  his  success  has  not  been  attained  by  the 
lavish  use  of  money  in  expensive  purchases,  but  as  economically  as  any 
man  could  wish  to  do.  It  will  be  observed,  however,  that  he  did  not  tie 
himself  up  by  buying  a  dog,  but  came  to  the  New  York  show,  saw  the  best 
dogs  of  the  day  and  used  his  own  judgment  as  to  which  to  breed  to,  nothing 
but  the  best  being  good  enough  for  that  purpose.  The  three  dogs  selected 
from  time  to  time  were  the  best  of  their  day  according  to  the  record.  The 
rest  was  judicious  selection  of  the  home  material.  What  this  gentleman 
did  was  and  is  open  to  all,  and  while  equal  success  might  not  reach  a  very 
large  number,  yet  it  is  very  certain  that  pointers  would  improve  materially 
by  individual  effort  of  this  kind.  And  there  never  was  a  better  time  for 
the  small  breeder  than  now,  for  good  pointers  are  very  scarce.  In  dogs  we 
have  nothing  to  equal  such  as  Beaufort,  Graphic,  Naso  of  Kipping,  Lad  of 
Kent,  Sir  Walter  or  dogs  of  that  class.  Mark's  Rush  is  the  most  successful 
of  late  years,  and  is  the  best  dog  at  present,  but  that  does  not  put  him  on  a 
parity  with  the  best  we  have  had.  On  the  other  hand,  there  are  many  excel- 
lent bitches,  and  in  that  sex  the  average  of  quality  is  good,  which  means 
much  in  estimating  prospects  of  possible  improvement. 

There  is  also  no  predominating  kennel  of  pointers,  such  as  we  have 
had  in  the  past.  Mr.  Frank  Gould,  Mr.  Clarence  Mackay,  Mr.  Brokaw, 
Mr.  Walton  Ferguson,  Jr.,  have  retired  after  more  or  less  brief  experiences 
in  the  show  ring,  and  as  they  say  on  the  turf,  it  is  a  very  open  field  for  the 
man  who  cannot  keep  a  large  kennel,  but  wishes  to  do  a  little  breeding  and 
try  to  get  a  few  prizes. 

So  far  we  have  said  nothing  of  the  pointer  as  a  field  dog,  in  which  line 
he  has  a  vast  number  of  supporters.     At  one  time  pointers  were  looked 


314  The  Dog  Book 

upon  very  much  as  the  pacer  was  by  those  who  considered  the  trotter  the 
only  horse  a  gentleman  could  possibly  use  for  driving,  and  plenty  of  judges 
seemed  smitten  with  the  same  idea  when  it  came  to  deciding  field  trials,  so 
that  to  get  a  favourable  decision  a  pointer  had  to  win  "away  off"  when 
opposed  to  a  setter,  otherwise  the  latter  got  the  verdict.  Many  tried  to  win 
with  them  and  gave  it  up,  till  the  late  Mr.  Dexter  took  hold  of  the  breed, 
and  with  the  late  Captain  McMurdo  in  charge  of  the  dogs,  established  the 
Charlottesville  Kennels.  This  does  not  mean  that  no  pointers  had  done 
any  good  winning,  but  that  they  had  not  been  recognised  as  in  any  way 
entitled  to  rank  with  setters.  Croxteth  had  previously  sired  some  winners 
of  good  stakes,  and  as  the  sire  of  Trinket's  Bang,  from  whom  came  Pearl's 
Dot,  "the  mother  of  field  trials  winners,"  will  never  be  forgotten  by  field 
trials  men.  Ossian  was  also  a  Croxteth,  and  so  was  Patti  Croxteth  which 
went  out  to  the  coast  and  won  two  all-ages  stakes.  There  were  other  minor 
winners  by  Croxteth,  who  may  be  set  down  as  the  one  dog  of  his  time  that 
proved  himself  competent  to  sire  good  field  dogs;  and  when  it  comes  to  that 
there  is  the  quite  forgotten  Drake,  by  Croxteth.  How  many  are  aware 
that  this  dog  beat  the  great  Mainspring  in  the  pointer  stakes  at  High  Point 
in    1884? 

Then  there  were  the  Graphic  Kennels  dogs  that  were  run  during  the 
bad  times  of  prejudice  against  pointers  and  their  descendants.  In  Major 
J.  M.  Taylor's  "Field  Trials  Records"  no  less  than  thirty-five  Graphic 
Kennels  pointers  and  their  descendants  are  named  as  winners. 

It  is  generally  supposed  that  Mr.  Dexter  was  the  first  owner  of  Main- 
spring, but  such  is  not  the  case.  This  dog  was  the  property  of  Mr.  J.  F. 
Perkins  and  ran  in  his  name  at  High  Point  in  1884  and  1885,  the  only  two 
trials  he  took  part  in.  Mr.  Dexter  was  then  a  setter  man,  and  continued  to 
be  so  till  the  American  Trials  of  1888,  in  which  he  ran  Count  Piedmont  into 
fourth  place  in  the  Derby.  His  first  successful  appearance  with  pointers  was 
at  the  Eastern  F.  T.  Club*s  meeting  of  1889,  when  he  ran  second  to  Rowdy 
Rod  with  Rip-Rap.  Before  this  Mr.  Dexter  had,  however,  imported  some 
pointers  and  owned  King  of  Kent,  and  the  kennel  in  which  he  had  an  interest 
had  for  some  time  had  the  bitch  Hops,  which  became  his  property  later  on, 
and  from  these  two  pointers  he  got  Rip-Rap.  By  this  time  he  had  bought 
Mainspring  from  Mr.  Perkins,  and  from  him  came  Jingo,  bred  by  Mr.  Dex- 
ter out  of  his  Queen  III.,  who  was  by  his  imported  Pontiac.  The  Jingo 
family  is  one  of  the  most  important  in  the  annals  of  field  trials,  and  includes 


The  Pointer  315 

as  leaders  Young  Jingo,  Lad  of  Jingo,  Sister  Sue,  Dot's  Jingo,  Two-Spot, 
Count  Cyrano  and  others. 

King  of  Kent  was  a  most  valuable  introduction,  for  from  him  we  got 
Rip-Rap,  Hal  Pointer,  Strideaway,  Tick  Boy,  K.  C.  Kent,  Kent  Elgin  and 
two  other  field  trials  winners.  The  King  of  Kent  line  is  perhaps  the  most 
potent  factor  in  the  pointer  family  of  field  trials  performers  of  the  present 
day.  Considering  that  we  owe  all  that  came  from  Mainspring,  from  King 
of  Kent  and  from  Hops  and  Queen  HI.  to  what  was  done  by  Mr.  Dexter, 
Mr.  Perkins  and  their  able  manager.  Captain  McMurdo,  no  tribute  is  too 
much  to  pay  to  these  pioneers  in  establishing  pointers  in  the  front  rank  as 
field  trials  competitors  of  the  highest  class. 

We  have  mentioned  Pearl's  Dot  as  the  mother  of  field  trials  winners, 
and  it  would  be  difficult  to  name  a  more  remarkable  bitch.  She  ranks 
with  the  English  setter  Rhaebe  and  the  great  English  thoroughbred  Poca- 
hontas in  her  capacity  to  throw  winners  to  any  mating.  From  her  King  of 
Kent  litter  we  got  Strideaway,  a  founder  of  a  family  noted  for  field  and 
bench-show  qualities.  From  Jingo  she  threw  Young  Jingo,  and  when  bred 
to  Rip-Rap  the  result  was  Ripstone,  Young  Rip-Rap,  Ripple  and  the  bitch 
Dot's  Pearl,  a  worthy  successor  to  her  great  dam,  for  from  her  came  Lad  of 
Jingo,  Two-Spot,  Jingo's  Pearl  and  three  other  winners.  Of  recent  years 
the  line  followed  by  breeders  has  been  to  cross  these  two  leading  families, 
the  Jingo  and  Rip-Rap,  and  this  has  resulted  in  the  production  of  many 
good  dogs,  and  so  far  there  does  not  seem  to  be  the  slightest  need  for  any 
importations.  The  blood  is  strong  and  potent,  and  with  the  exception  that 
some  attention  should  be  paid  to  form  and  get  good-looking  dogs  as  well 
as  good  workers,  nothing  need  be  said  regarding  breeding  for  field  trials 
purposes. 

Why  we  cannot  get  as  good  dogs  as  the  Englishmen  do  in  the  way  of 
looks  is  only  explainable  by  saying  that  we  do  not  pay  attention  to  looks. 
But  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  not.  The  good-looking  Graphic  Ken- 
nels dogs  we  know  were  good  in  the  field.  Beaufort  was  a  good  one  also. 
The  Charlottesville  dogs  combined  good  looks  and  good  work.  Mr.  West- 
lake's  and  the  Top-Notch  Kennels  dogs  and  those  of  nearly  every  present- 
day  exhibitor  are  used  afield.  As  a  specimen,  not  selected,  of  what  style  of 
dog  the  English  breed  for  use,  we  refer  to  the  photograph  of  Banner  Faskally 
on  point  in  South  Carolina.  This  was  one  of  the  pointers  brought  over  a 
few  years  ago  by  Mr.  Turner,  kennel  manager  for  Mr.  Butler,  of  Pitlochry, 


3i6  The  Dog  Book 

Scotland,  who  uses  the  well-known  prefix  of  Faskally  for  his  pointers.  The 
dogs  were  not  here  long  enough  to  become  accustomed  to  our  game  condi- 
tions and  ran  unplaced  at  the  Newton  trials  in  North  Carolina,  but  they 
were  much  admired,  and  Mr.  F.  Lothrop  Ames,  of  Boston,  gave  a  good  price 
for  the  lot.  Mr.  W.  B.  Meares,  to  whom  we  are  indebted  for  the  photo- 
graph, offered  Mr.  Ames  ^500  for  Banner,  but  without  result.  They  were 
by  Faskally  Bragg,  the  dog  Mr.  Clarence  Mackay  imported  at  a  very  long 
price  a  few  years  ago. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Skull. — Of  good  size,  wider  across  the  ears  than  that  of  the  setter^ 
with  the  forehead  rising  well  at  the  brows,  showing  a  decided  stop.  A  full 
development  of  the  occipital  protuberance  is  indispensable,  and  the  upper 
surface  should  be  in  two  slight  rounded  flats,  with  a  furrow  between. 

Muzzle. — Long  (4  in.  to  4I  in.)  and  broad,  with  widely-opened  nostrils. 
The  nose  should  be  black  or  very  dark  brown  in  all  but  the  lemons  and  whites^ 
but  in  them  it  may  be  a  deep  flesh  colour.  It  should  be  cut  off"  square,  and 
not  pointed — known  as  the  'snipe  nose'  or  *pig  jaw.'      Teeth  meeting  even. 

Ears,  Eyes  and  Lips. — Ears  soft  in  coat,  moderately  long  and  thin  in 
leather,  not  folding  like  the  hound's,  but  lying  flat  and  close  to  the  cheeks, 
and  set  on  low,  without  any  tendency  to  prick.  Eyes  soft,  and  of  medium 
size;  colour  brown,  varying  in  shade  with  that  of  the  coat.  Lips  well 
developed,  but  not  pendant  nor  flew-like. 

Neck. — Arched  toward  the  head,  long  and  round,  without  any 
approach  to  dew-lap  or  throatiness.  It  should  come  out  with  a  graceful 
sweep  from  between  the  shoulder  blades. 

Shoulders  and  Chest. — These  are  dependent  on  each  other  for  their 
formation.  Thus,  a  wide  and  looped  chest  cannot  have  the  blades  lying 
flat  against  its  sides;  and  consequently,  instead  of  this  and  their  sloping 
backward,  as  they  ought  to  do  in  order  to  give  free  action,  they  are  upright, 
short,  and  fixed.  Of  course,  a  certain  width  is  required  to  give  room  for 
the  lungs,  but  the  volume  required  should  be  obtained  by  depth  rather 
than  width.  Behind  the  blades  the  ribs  should,  however,  be  well  arched, 
but  still  deep;   this  depth  of  black  ribs  is  especially  important. 

Back,  Quarters  and  Stifles. — ^The  loin  should  be  very  slightly  arched 
and  full  of  muscle,  which  should  run  well  over  the  back  ribs;  the  hips  should 
be  wide,  with  a  tendency  even  to  raggedness,  and  the  quarters  should  droop 


CHAMPION   BRACKET 

The  crack  lightweight  dog  of  the  Graphic  Kennels.    Sire  of  Lad  of  Kent,  etc. 


CORONATION 
The  English  champion  bitch  and  a  winner  of  many  specials  for  "  best  dog  in  the  show  ' 


i 


The    Pointer  317 

very  slightly  from  them.  These  last  must  be  full  of  firm  muscle,  and  the 
stifles  should  be  well  bent  and  carried  widely  apart,  so  as  to  allow  the  hind 
legs  to  be  brought  well  forward  in  the  gallop,  instituting  a  form  of  action 
which  does  not  tire. 

Legs,  Elbows  and  Hocks. — These  must  be  strong  enough  to  bear  the 
strain  given  them.  Substance  of  bone  is  therefore  demanded,  not  only  in 
the  shanks,  but  in  the  joints,  the  knees  and  hocks  being  especially  required 
to  be  bony.  The  elbows  should  be  well  let  down,  giving  a  long  upper  arm, 
and  should  not  be  turned  in  or  out,  the  latter  being,  however,  the  lesser  fault 
of  the  two,  as  the  confined  elbows  limit  the  action  considerably.  The 
reverse  is  the  case  with  the  hocks,  which  may  be  turned  in  rather  than  out, 
the  former  being  generally  accompanied  by  the  wideness  of  stifles  insisted  on. 
Both  hind  and  fore  pastern  should  be  short,  nearly  upright  and  full  of  bone. 

Feet. — All-important;  for,  however  strong  and  fast  the  action  may  be, 
if  the  feet  are  not  well  shaped  and  the  horny  covering  hard,  the  dog  will  soon 
become  footsore  when  at  work.  Preference  is  given  to  the  round  or  cat  foot, 
with  the  toes  well  arched  and  close  together.  The  main  point,  however,  is 
the  closeness  of  the  pads,  compared  with  the  thickness  of  the  horny  covering. 

Stern. — Strong  in  bone  at  the  root,  but  should  at  once  be  reduced  in 
size  as  it  leaves  the  body,  and  then  gradually  taper  to  a  point.  It  should  be 
very  slightly  curved,  carried  a  little  above  the  line  of  the  back,  and  without 
the  slightest  approach  to  a  curl  at  the  tip. 

Symmetry  and  Quality. — The  pointer  should  display  good  propor- 
tion, no  dog  showing  more  diflf"erence  between  the  'gentleman'  and  his 
opposite.  It  is  impossible  to  analyse  the  essentials,  but  every  judge  carries 
the  knowledge  with  him. 

Texture. — The  coat  in  the  pointer  should  be  soft  and  mellow,  but 
not  absolutely  silky. 

Scale  of  Points 

Skull 10  Legs,       elbows       and 

Muzzle  and  nose lo             hocks I2 

Ears,  eyes  and  lips 4         Feet 8 

Neck 6         Stern 5 

Shoulders  and  chest 15  Symmetry  and  quality.  10 

Back,  quarters  and  stifles....  15         Texture  of  coat 5 

Total 100 


i 


i 


CHAPTER  XIX 


The  Retriever 


HERE  seems  very  little  prospect  of  the  English  retriever 
gaining  a  foothold  in  this  country,  though  in  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  he  is  made  of  great  use,  as  setters  and  pointers 
are  preferred  not  to  touch  dead  game.  It  is  one  of  the 
many  little  peculiarities  of  the  shooting  men  across  the 
Atlantic  to  hold  that  while  it  does  not  in  the  least  matter  in  the  case  of  a 
spaniel,  it  is  a  drawback  to  setters  or  pointers  to  retrieve  the  game  killed 
over  them.  Here  we  do  not  find  it  so,  and  no  shooting  dog  is  considered 
thoroughly  broken  until  he  is  a  perfect  retriever.  To  avoid  calling  upon 
the  setter  or  pointer  to  retrieve,  the  Englishman  takes  another  dog  afield 
with  him,  whose  duty  it  is  to  retrieve  the  dead  and  wounded  game.  At 
the  present  time  the  usefulness  of  the  retriever  is  made  still  more  apparent 
owing  to  the  change  in  the  style  of  shooting  by  walking  up  the  game,  the 
battue,  and  driving  to  the  guns.  In  such  cases  the  retriever  is  a  necessity, 
and  as  it  is  likely  to  be  a  long  time  before  any  appreciable  amount  of  Amer- 
ican shooting  will  be  done  on  those  plans,  the  day  of  the  retriever  is  yet 
in  the  dim  future  with  us.  On  the  Rutherford  estate  at  Allamuchy,  N.  J., 
at  Fisher's  Island,  at  the  late  Mr.  Moen's  and  Mr.  Bayard  Thayer's  pre- 
serves in  Massachusetts,  where  English  pheasants  are  reared  for  battue 
shooting,  a  few  retrievers  are  kept,  and  we  occasionally  see  one  or  two 
at  the  New  York  Dog  Show.  These  are  mainly  of  the  smooth  variety, 
but  from  time  to  time  a  rough  or  curly  coated  specimen  has  been  shown. 

The  case  is  very  different  in  England,  where  retrievers  are  frequently 
one  of  the  best-represented  breeds  at  the  various  dog  shows  and  much 
attention  is  paid  to  their  improvement.  The  breed  is  supposed  to  have 
its  origin  mainly  in  what  has  been  for  many  years  called  the  Labrador  or 
lesser  Newfoundland,  a  dog  that  could  not  have  originated  in  Labrador, 
but  undoubtedly  owed  its  origin  to  animals  brought  as  ship's  dogs  by 
vessels  from  Europe.  When  we  first  became  acquainted  with  the  retriever 
he  was  much  more  wavy  in  coat  than  the  modern  specimens,  the  change 

319 


320  The  Dog  Book 

probably  being  due  to  selection  more  than  to  a  cross  with  the  setter, 
though  that  may  have  been  resorted  to  by  some  who  cared  only  for  getting 
a  suitable  working  dog,  and  by  others  with  the  object  of  getting  a  better- 
looking  dog.  The  late  Mr.  Shirley,  chairman  of  the  English  Kennel  Club, 
was  a  great  fancier  of  the  wavy-coated  retriever,  as  it  was  then  called,  and 
he  used  no  setter  blood.  Lieut.-Col.  Cornewall  Legh  is  another  who  is 
credited  with  sticking  closely  to  the  old  Labrador  stock,  and  the  improve- 
ment he  has  made  has  been  by  selection. 

It  can  be  readily  understood  that  in  a  dog  called  upon  to  retrieve 
the  main  thing  before  the  establishment  of  the  breed  was  to  secure  a  thor- 
oughly good  dog  for  the  work,  and  we  read  in  "Craven's"  "Advice  to  Young 
Sportsmen"  that  the  best  retriever  he  ever  owned  was  a  bull  terrier;  but, 
as  a  later  writer  pertinently  remarked,  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should 
take  bull  terriers  for  retrievers  on  account  of  the  exceptional  fad  of  this 
particular  dog.  One  of  Cooper's  good  paintings  is  of  "  Brush,  a  Celebrated 
Retriever."  This  was  painted  fifty  years  ago,  though  the  loose  engraving 
we  have  bears  1868  as  the  date  of  publication.  Brush  was  apparently 
black,  with  prominent  white  frill  and  white  on  the  feet,  extending  on  one 
fore  leg  about  the  fetlock.  The  head  is  smooth,  with  body  coat  like  a 
rough  setter.  A  very  intelligent-looking  dog  of  no  definite  breed;  one 
might  almost  say  a  half-bred  setter  and  collie. 

The  curly  coated  retriever  is  one  we  feel  assured  might  well  be  intro- 
duced here  for  duck  shooting,  the  crisply  curled  coat  being  very  water 
resisting,  and  as  there  is  less  of  it  than  in  the  Irish  water  spaniel  he  should 
be  a  preferable  companion  on  his  return  from  the  water,  while  in  compari- 
son with  the  Chesapeake  Bay  dog  he  certainly  is  much  the  better-looking. 
Lee  gives  the  curlies  a  bad  name  on  account  of  hard  mouths,  but  the  coat 
can  hardly  cause  that,  and  there  ought  to  be  good  retrievers  among  them. 
Whether  it  is  that,  or  whether  the  smooths  are  the  more  attractive  and  have  thus 
crowded  out  the  curlies,  we  are  not  in  a  position  to  say,  but  we  do  know  that  we 
have  quite  a  liking  for  a  good  curly  coated  retriever,  and  would  much  like 
to  see  them  taken  up  here  by  the  duck  shooters  who  desire  a  good-looking  dog. 

We  remember  seeing  quite  a  number  of  brown  or  liver  curly-coated 
dogs,  but  they  seem  to  have  gone  out  of  fashion,  or  have  been  bred  out  in 
the  desire  for  blacks  as  the  preferable  show  colour. 

Mr.  H.  Reginald  Cooke,  of  Davenport,  Bridgenorth,  England,  who 
kindly  sent  us  a  photograph  of  one  of  his  champions  and  photographs  of 


The  Retriever  321 

paintings  of  two  more  of  his  champions,  states  that  with  this  team  he  not 
only  won  the  special  for  the  best  team  of  retrievers  at  the  Crystal  Palace, 
but  also  that  for  the  best  team  of  sporting  dogs  of  any  breed.  Mr.  Cooke 
writes:  "I  often  wonder  how  it  is  that  the  Americans  have  not  taken  up 
the  flat-coated  retriever,  as  they  have  setters  and  the  pointer.  Retrievers 
are  the  most  useful  of  all  sporting  dogs  for  modern  shooting."  The  answer 
to  that  is  that  we  have  not  adopted  English  modern  shooting  methods  in 
this  country,  with  the  exception  of  battue  shooting  at  a  few  isolated  pre- 
serves, and  there  they  have  retrievers.  We  have  lately  been  advised  that 
a  number  of  retrievers  have  been  recently  imported  for  use  in  some  of  the 
Southern  preserves,  but  throughout  the  country  at  large  Americans  prefer 
the  setter  or  pointer  broken  to  retrieve  as  well  as  point  and  back.  To  show 
the  hold  they  have  in  England  as  a  sporting  dog,  Mr.  Cooke  says  he  has 
bred  them  for  over  twenty-five  years,  and  always  for  work  as  well  as  show. 

We  were  struck  with  a  remark  of  Lee  in  "Modern  Dogs"  regarding 
"other  retrievers,"  where  he  says:  "The  latter  [brown  retrievers]  are 
repeatedly  produced  from  black  parents,  are  very  handsome,  and  equally 
useful  as  any  other.  Personally  I  have  a  great  fancy  for  this  pale  or  choco- 
late-brown wavy-coated  retriever.  He  is  a  novelty,  and,  if  he  shows  dirt 
more  than  his  black  parents,  his  coat  is  equally  glossy  and  he  is  quite  as 
good  tempered  and  sociable.  The  white  or  pale  primrose-coloured  eye 
is  objectionable  in  this  variety,  as  it  is  in  the  black."  The  suggestion 
may  be  far  fetched,  perhaps,  but  if  these  retrievers  of  England  owe  much 
of  their  blood  to  the  Labrador  line,  and  we  are  to  accept  the  accredited 
story  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay  dog  as  originating  from  the  Newfoundland 
dogs  that  came  from  the  wrecked  vessel  which,  according  to  one  account, 
was  abandoned  at  sea,  and  by  another,  ran  ashore  near  the  residence  of  a 
Mr.  Law  on  the  Chesapeake,  then  the  colour  was  not  entirely  owing 
to  their  being  crossed  on  the  native  tan-coloured  hounds,  which  is  ex- 
Mayor  Latrobe's  claim.  The  Englishmen  have  not  used  the  common 
"yellow-and-tan"  hound  to  get  the  colour  they  occasionally  come  across, 
with  the  objectionable  light  eye  we  also  find  in  so  many  Chesapeakes. 

The  retriever  not  being  a  dog  used  or  likely  to  be  used  in  this  country 
to  any  great  extent,  it  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  upon  his  description,  that 
being  given  in  detail  in  the  standards  of  the  two  varieties.  That  of  the  curly 
coated  was  adopted  by  the  English  club  which  was  formed  in  1890,  and  the 
latter  is  from  Lee's  "Modern  Dogs,"  based  upon  Stonehenge's  description. 


322  The  Dog  Book 

Curly  Coated  Retriever — Descriptive  Particulars 

Head. — Long  and  narrow  for  the  length. 

Ears. — Rather  small,  set  on  low,  lying  close  to  the  head  and  covered 
with   short   curls. 

Jaws. — Long  and  strong,  free  from  lippiness,  with  good,  sound  teeth. 

Nose. — Wide,  open  nostrils,  moist  and  black. 

Eyes. — Dark,  cannot  be  too  dark,  rather  large,  showing  great  intelli- 
gence and  splendid  temper;  a  full  pug  eye  an  objection. 

Coat. — Should  be  one  mass  of  short,  crisp  curls  from  the  occiput  to 
the  point  of  the  tail  ;  a  saddleback  of  uncurled  hair  behind  shoulders 
and  white  patch  on  chest  should  be  penalised;  but  few  white  hairs  allowed 
on  an  otherwise  good  dog.     Colour  black  and  liver. 

Neck. — Long,  graceful,  but  muscular  and  well  placed;  free  from 
throatiness,  such  as  a  bloodhound. 

Shoulders. — Very  deep,  muscular,  and  obliquely  placed. 

Chest. — Not  too  wide  but  decidedly  deep. 

Body. — Rather  short,  muscular  and  well  ribbed  up. 

Legs. — Fore  legs  straight,  with  plenty  of  bone,  not  too  long,  and  set 
well  under  body. 

Feet. — Round  and  compact,  with  toes  well  arched. 

Loin. — Powerful,  deep,  and  firm  to  the  grasp.  » 

Tail. — Should  be  carried  pretty  straight  and  covered  with  short  curls, 
tapering  toward  tip. 

General  Appearance. — A  strong,  smart  dog,  moderately  low  on  leg, 
active,  lively,  beaming  with  intelligence  and  expression. 

Scale  of  Points 

VALUE  value 

Head 10        Nose 5 

Jaws 5         Coat 15 

Eyes 5         Shoulders 5 

Neck 5         Body 5 

Chest 5         Feet 5 

Legs 5        Tail 5 

Loins 10         General  Appearance 10 

Ears 5 

Total 100 


BRUSH,   A  CELEBRATED   RKIKIEVKK 
Frnm  a  painting  by  A.  Cooper.  R,  A. 


i;oNNACORD   DARKIE 
Owned  by  Mr.  K.  T.  Baines,  Urmston,  Manchester.  England 


The  Retriever  323 

Flat  or  Wavy  Coated  Retriever — Descriptive  Particulars 

Nose  and  Jaws  are  to  be  considered  from  two  points  of  view — first, 
as  to  the  powers  of  scent;  and  second,  as  to  the  capacity  for  carrying  a 
hare  or  pheasant  without  risk  of  damage.  For  both  purposes  the  jaws 
should  be  long,  and  for  the  development  of  scenting  powers  the  nose  should 
be  wide,  the  nostrils  open  and  tip  of  nose  moist  and  cool,  teeth  level,  and 
neither  overshot  nor  undershot. 

Skull,  Ears  and  Eyes. — Skull  bone  wide  and  flat  at  the  top,  with  slight 
furrow  down  the  middle.  Brow  by  no  means  pronounced,  but  the  skull 
is  not  absolutely  in  a  straight  line  with  the  nose.  The  ears  must  be  small, 
lie  close  to  the  head  and  set  on  low,  but  not  hanging  down  in  hound  fashion. 
With  regard  to  the  hair  on  them,  it  must  be  short.  The  eyes  should  be  of 
medium  size,  dark  in  colour,  bright,  intelligent  looking  and  mild  in  ex- 
pression, indicating  a  good  temper. 

Neck,  Back  and  Loins. — The  neck  should  be  long  enough  to  allow  the 
dog  to  stoop  in  seeking  for  the  trail.  A  chumpy  neck  is  especially  bad; 
for  while  a  little  dog  may  get  along  on  a  foot  scent  with  a  short  neck,  a 
comparatively  large  and  unwieldy  dog  tires  himself  terribly  by  the  necessity 
for  crouching  in  his  fast  pace.     Loins  and  back  wide,  deep  and  strong. 

Quarters  and  Stifles. — Must  be  muscular  and  so  formed  as  to  enable 
the  retriever  to  do  his  work  fast  enough  for  the  modern  sportsman,  with 
ease  to  himself.     The  stifles  should  be  nicely  turned. 

Shoulders. — Should  be  long  and  sloping;  otherwise,  even  with  a  proper 
length  of  neck,  the  dog  cannot  stoop  to  a  foot  scent  without  fatigue. 

Chest. — Should  be  broad  as  well  as  deep,  with  well-developed  and 
well-sprung  ribs. 

Legs,  Knees  and  Hocks. — The  legs  must  not  only  be  strong,  but  they 
must  be  clean  and  free  from  lumber.  The  knees  should  be  broad,  and 
the  hocks  well  developed  and  clean. 

Feet. — The  feet  are  rather  larger  proportionately  than  in  the  setter,  but 
they  should  be  compact  and  the  toes  well  arched.     Soles  thick  and  strong. 

Tail. — Should  be  bushy  in  proportion  to  the  dog,  but  not  feathered. 
It  should  be  carried  gaily,  but  not  curled  over  the  back. 

Coat. — Short,  but  not  so  short  as  in  the  pointer  or  hound;  it  should 
be  close  and  thick  and  as  straight  as  possible;  a  thin,  open  coat,  with  the 
skin  easily  found,  is  bad,  however  straight  it  may  be. 


324  The  Dog  Book 

Colour. — In  blacks  the  colour  should  be  a  rich  black,  free  from  rustiness 
and  from  white. 

Symmetry  and  Temperament. — ^The  symmetry  and  elegance  of  this 
dog  are  considerable  and  should  be  valued  'highly.  The  evidences  of 
good  temper  must  be  regarded  with  great  care,  since  his  utility  mainly 
depends  on  his  disposition.  A  sour-headed  brute  with  a  vicious  look  about 
the  eyes  should  be  disqualified. 

Weight. — From  50  pounds  to  68  pounds  for  dogs;  bitches  rather 
smaller. 

Scale  of  Points 

Nose  and  jaws 5         Feet 10 

Skull,  ears  and  eyes 10         Tail 5 

Neck,  loins  and  back. .....  10         Coat 10 

Quarters  and  stifles 5  Symmetry    and    tempera- 
Shoulders  and  chest 13            ment 20 

Legs'  knees  and  hocks 12                             .                        

Total 100 


AN  ENGLISH  GAMEKEEPER  AND  HIS  DOGS 


DANEHURST   NELLIE  DANEHURST    DICK 

A  winning  retriever  A  show  anJ  field  trials  winning  spaniel 

DANEHURST    PRINCE 
Winning  blue  roan  field  spaniel  DANEHURST   POLLY 


DANEHURST    DIAMOND 
Retriever,  winner  of  more  than  ninety  firsts 


CHAMPION    IILACK   QUILT 
Owned  by  Mr.  H.  Reginald  Cooke,  of  Nantwich,  Eng. 


CHAPTER  XX 

The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog 

NE  of  the  few  dogs  developed  in  this  country  is  the  Chesa- 
peake Bay  dog,  its  name  being  taken,  obviously,  from 
that  great  ducking  resort  on  the  Atlantic  coast.  The  dog 
was  developed  for  retrieving  ducks,  and  naturally  we 
have  a  dog  well  fitted  for  the  work. 
There  are  three  stories  regarding  the  origin  of  this  dog,  one  of  which 
has  to  be  put  down  as  an  impossibility,  and  from  the  other  two  the  reader 
can  take  his  choice  or  dismiss  them  both  and  conclude  that  a  gradual 
process  of  selection  of  a  dog  fitted  for  the  work  developed  the  variety. 
The  impossible  story  is  that  a  retrieving  bitch,  in  order  to  be  kept  away 
from  the  dogs,  was  tied  up  in  a  marsh  near  an  otter  den  and  subsequently 
had  puppies  which  were  supposed  to  own  an  otter  as  their  sire,  and  from 
him  came  what  is  still  called  the  otter  coat.  Another  ** tradition,"  as  these 
stories  were  called  by  the  late  James  F.  Pearson,  of  Baltimore,  is  that 
given  upon  the  authority  of  George  W.  Kierstead,  who  was  also  one  of  the 
acknowledged  experts  of  twenty  years  ago.  Mr.  Kierstead  claimed  that 
the  breed  originated  in  the  place  of  its  name,  and  "from  the  best  authorities 
obtainable,  we  learn  that  about  the  year  1807  the  ship  Canton^  of  Baltimore, 
Md.,  fell  in  at  sea  with  an  English  brig,  in  a  sinking  condition,  bound  from 
Newfoundland  to  England.  The  crew  were  taken  aboard  the  Canton, 
also  two  puppies,  a  dog  and  a  bitch.  The  English  crew  were  landed  on 
their  native  soil,  and  the  two  puppies  purchased  from  the  captain  for  a 
guinea  apiece  and  taken  to  Baltimore.  The  dog  puppy,  a  dingy  red  in 
colour,  was  called  Sailor,  and  was  given  to  Mr.  John  Mercer,  of  West 
River.  The  bitch  was  black,  was  called  Canton,  and  was  given  to  Dr. 
James  Stewart,  of  Sparrow  Point.  These  dogs  were  compactly  built — 
not  so  large  as  the  Newfoundland;  hair  not  long,  but  thick  and  wavy. 
They  individually  attained  great  reputation  as  duck  retrievers,  and  it  is 
said  of  them  that  they  would  follow  a  crippled  duck  for  miles  through  ice 
and  heavy  sea,  and  if  successful  in  a  capture  would  always  bring  it  back 

325 


326  The  Dog  Book 

to  their  owner.  The  dog  Sailor  became  the  property  of  a  gentleman  of 
wealth,  and  was  taken  to  his  estate  on  the  east  shore  of  Maryland,  where 
his  progeny  is  still  known  as  the  Sailor  breed. 

"There  is  no  positive  proof  that  there  were  ever  any  dogs  produced 
from  the  union  of  these  two,  Sailor  and  Canton,  neither  is  there  anything 
to  show  that  there  was  no  production  from  them.  The  natural  supposition 
is  that  there  was,  and  it  is  to  these  two  dogs  that  we  feel  we  can  give  credit 
for  the  now  famous  breed  of  Chesapeake  Bay  duck  dog." 

Another  "tradition"  is  that  given  by  Mr.  Joseph  A.  Graham  in  "The 
Sporting  Dog,"  in  the  form  of  a  communication  from  General  Ferdinand 
C.  Latrobe,  who  has  long  had  personal  supervision  of  the  dogs  of  the 
Carroll  Island  Club:  "Many  years  ago  a  vessel  from  Newfoundland  ran 
aground  near  an  estate  called  Walnut  Grove,  on  the  shores  of  the  Chesa- 
peake. This  estate  belonged  to  Mr.  George  Law,  a  member  of  a  well- 
known  Maryland  family.  On  board  the  ship  were  two  Newfoundland 
dogs,  which  were  given  by  the  captain  to  Mr.  Law  in  return  for  kindness 
and  hospitality  shown  to  himself  and  his  crew.  The  beginning  of  the 
Chesapeake  dog  was  from  a  cross  between  these  Newfoundlands  and  the 
common  yellow  and  tan  coloured  hound  or  coon  dog  of  that  part  of  the 
country. 

"At  the  Carroll  Island  Club,  of  which  the  writer  has  been  a  member 
for  over  thirty  years,  and  the  records  of  which  go  back  for  over  a  century, 
this  strain  of  dogs  has  been  carefully  bred,  and  for  many  years  the  pedigrees 
have  been  kept.  The  same  care  in  breeding  the  Chesapeake  has  been 
followed  at  some  of  the  other  clubs." 

General  Latrobe  says  that  the  combination  of  the  yellow  and  tan 
hound,  the  Newfoundland  and  some  spaniel  introductions,  produced  the 
"liver  colour  of  the  true  Chesapeake  Bay  dog,"  thus  placing  himself 
apart  from  the  other  writers  quoted,  who  all  preferred  the  sedge  colour. 

As  might  be  expected  from  the  facts  or  traditions  thus  set  forth  and 
the  mixed  character  of  the  breeding,  with  only  the  one  definite  aim  of 
having  the  best  possible  retrievers,  we  have  in  the  Chesapeake  a  dog  not 
over  burdened  with  good  looks  or  quality.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that 
the  standard  is  not  an  attempt  to  elevate  or  improve  the  breed  by  setting 
an  ideal  to  be  bred  up  to.  What  the  standard  describes  is  a  plain  every- 
day dog,  with  faults  that  would  not  pass  muster  in  hardly  any  other  breed 
set  forth  as  requirements.     The  wedgy  type  of  head,  with  the  wide  skull 


^ 


The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog  327 

and  tapering  fore  face,  the  high-set-on  ears  and  the  short  neck,  the  yellow 
eye  and  the  long  tail  are  not  quality  characteristics  at  all,  and  the  gentlemen 
who  framed  the  standard  missed  an  opportunity  to  set  a  far  higher  mark 
for  the  dog. 

If  we  had  the  making  of  a  standard  we  should  frame  it  more  on  the 
model  of  the  description  of  the  English  retriever:  The  head  of  moderate 
width  and  good  length,  with  a  strong,  well-carried-out  jaw  and  sound 
teeth,  evenly  meeting.  Eye  dark  hazel,  and  we  should  specify  that  the 
yellow  eye  is  a  great  detraction  and  must  be  got  rid  of.  Ears  to  be  neat 
in  size,  set  on  low,  and  without  fold.  Neck  of  good  length,  and,  in  place  of 
the  upright  shoulders  which  invariably  accompany  the  short  neck,  we 
should  particularly  specify  the  sloping  position  of  the  shoulders,  without 
which  a  dog  cannot  reach  out  with  his  feet  when  swimming.  Then  the  legs 
should  not  be  short  for  a  swimming  dog,  and  to  state  that  the  feet  have 
to  be  webbed  means  only  that  they  have  to  be  ordinary  feet,  for  all  dogs' 
feet  are  webbed.  It  is  right  that  they  should  be  large.  The  tail  or  stern 
for  such  a  dog  should  be  only  long  enough  not  to  look  short,  carried  gaily 
in  a  curve,  but  not  over  the  back.  It  should  be  bushy,  thicker  in  the  middle, 
and  show  no  feather.  With  regard  to  the  coat,  our  belief  is  in  the  kind  that 
has  a  crisp  wave  in  it,  as  it  is  almost  sure  to  be  dense  and  close,  and  that  is 
what  is  wanted.  But  whether  with  this  kink  or  not,  the  coat  must  be  so 
dense  that,  owing  to  the  undercoat,  it  cannot  be  parted  down  to  the  skin. 

The  desirable  colour  is  a  yellow  liver,  which  goes  by  the  name  of 
sedge.  Liver  is  too  dark  for  the  correct  thing,  though  there  are  doubtless 
many  good  dogs  nearly  approaching  that  colour,  and  we  do  not  think 
colour  should  overrule  everything.  We  also  know  very  well  that  this 
shade  as  well  as  the  liver  becomes  weather  bleached  as  it  ages,  and  when 
ready  to  shed  it  is  many  shades  lighter  than  the  incoming  coat.  Sedge  is 
most  decidedly  preferable,  but  not  to  the  extent  of  knocking  out  a  far  better 
dog  of  a  darker  shade.  We  mean  that  we  could  not  put  an  open-coated, 
badly  made  sedge  dog  over  one  good  in  these  respects  but  dark  in  colour. 

The  late  Mr.  Pearson  was  a  recognised  authority  on  the  breed,  and  in 
1882  wrote  to  the  American  Field  supporting  a  previous  communication 
from  a  gentleman  who  roundly  criticised  the  Baltimore  show  committee 
for  making  two  classes,  one  being  for  long,  curly  coated  dogs.  That 
writer  held  that  the  Chesapeake  was  not  a  long-haired  or  curly  dog,  but 
should  have  a  short,  close  coat,  "without  a  wrinkle  in  it."     As  usual  with 


328  The  Dog  Book 

most  writers  upon  a  breed  but  little  known,  or  not  scientifically  established — 
and  by  that  we  mean  bred  with  judgment  and  a  type  in  view — he  said  that 
the  breed  was  almost  entirely  lost  at  that  time.  Mr.  Pearson  fully  endorsed 
the  first  part  of  the  letter,  and  on  his  own  account  wrote  as  follows: 

"I  wish  clearly  to  lay  down  the  rule  that,  according  to  my  judgment, 
none  other  than  dogs  known  as  the  otter  breed  or  close-hair  dogs  should 
be  taken  as  the  Simon  Pure  of  this  strain.  The  Chesapeake  Bay  dog^ 
otter  breed,  should  be  a  strong,  well-built  animal,  weighing  about  sixty 
pounds;  colour  much  resembling  wet  sedge  grass,  though  toward  spring 
it  becomes  lighter  from  exposure  to  the  weather.  A  small  white  spot  or 
frill  on  breast  is  entirely  admissible;  a  large  patch  of  same  very  objectionable. 
Coat  short  and  thick,  with  tendency  to  wave  over  shoulders,  back  and  loins, 
where  it  is  longest.  Should  judge  hair  to  be  nowhere  more  than  one  and  a 
quarter  inches  long,  and  probably  not  over  half  that  on  flanks  and  legs. 
Head  broad,  nose  a  trifle  pointed  but  not  at  all  sharp,  neck  only  moderately 
long;  eyes  of  yellow  colour;  ears  small  and  placed  well  up  on  the  head;  face 
covered  with  very  short  hair,  and  mild  and  intelligent  in  expression.  Legs 
of  moderate  length,  ending  with  feet  of  good  size.  Tail  stout,  somewhat 
long,  with  barely  a  suspicion  of  feather,  and  the  straighter  the  better. 
This  dog  is  sprightly,  active,  an  admirable  watch  dog,  abundantly  able 
to  take  care  of  himself,  and  an  admirable  retriever.  Females  are  usually 
smaller  than  the  males,  but  not  necessarily  so. 

"There  is  another  style  of  so-called  Chesapeake  Bay  dogs  that  may 
be  mentioned;  short  hair,  entirely  straight,  much  darker  in  colour — in 
fact  liver  colour — more  heavily  built  in  every  way;  many  of  them  of  a 
surly  disposition,  and  having  a  tendency  to  shirk  their  work  whenever 
they  feel  so  disposed,  particularly  in  cold  weather  and  high-running  waves. 
I  have  a  suspicion  that  they  may  have  a  touch  of  bloodhound  through 
'them,  and  from  my  experience  do  not  care  for  anything  less  than  a  stout 
club  when  it  is  necessary  to  correct  them."  Mr.  Pearson  then  briefly 
refers  to  the  traditions,  all  of  which  came  "through  the  medium  of  the 
'oldest  inhabitant,'  so  whatever  credence  is  attached  thereto  I  leave  to  the 
judgment  of  each  reader." 

Doctor  Millbank,  of  New  York,  was  an  enthusiastic  supporter  of  the 
breed  up  to  the  time  of  his  death  a  few  months  ago,  and  from  a  communication 
of  his  in  the  American  Field,  of  April  2,  1898,  it  is  evident  that  Mr.  Pearson 
was  his  mentor  and  guide.  ■  Acting  upon  the  advice  thus  received.  Doctor 


A.  M.  COGHLIN  S  CLAIRVINE 


THK  LATE  DR.  MILBANKS  PRIDE 


THE  LATE  DR.  MILBANK'S  BUSH 


THE  I.AIE  MR.  .MALLORV  S  MARY 


CHIEF  PEGGIE   MAGUIRE 

Owned  by  J.  G.  McPhee,  Seattle  Owned  by  McFee  &  Gilbert,  Seattle 

CHESAPEAKE  BAY  DOGS  OF  MARYLAND.  OHIO  AND  THE  PACIFIC   COAST 


The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog  329 

Millbank  bred  several  generations  of  Chesapeakes,  and  was  for  several 
years  the  most  successful  exhibitor  of  these  dogs  at  the  New  York  show. 

We  have  not  much  knowledge  of  Chesapeakes  in  Maryland,  other 
than  having  seen  such  dogs  as  were  shown  at  the  various  Baltimore  shows. 
Some  years  ago  there  was  far  less  uniformity  in  the  benched  specimens 
than  has  been  the  case  of  late,  and  we  remember  our  old  friend,  Mr.  Mallory, 
showing  two  dogs  at  a  Philadelphia  show  which  were  of  very  different 
type.  One  was  of  the  short,  close-coated  sort  and  the  other  decidedly 
curly.  We  told  him  we  could  not  stand  the  curly  as  the  proper  type,  and 
he  fully  agreed  with  us  and  said  he  only  entered  the  latter  to  help  fill  the 
class. 

When  at  Seattle  and  Portland  shows  in  the  spring  of  1904  we  were 
agreeably  surprised  at  the  number  of  good  Chesapeakes  in  that  section  of 
the  country.  Well  grown  dogs  with  excellent  coats  were  at  both  shows  and 
the  winners  at  Seattle  were  as  good  if  not  better  than  any  dog  or  bitch  we 
have  seen  in  the  East. 

There  is  a  mistaken  idea  that  dogs  such  as  the  Chesapeake  Bay  dog 
call  for  expert  knowledge  of  the  breed  in  order  to  judge  them.  Such  a 
claim  is  only  true  of  dogs  that  have  been  specialised  and  improved  to  a  high 
state  of  perfection,  which  is  not  the  case  with  the  Chesapeake,  and  we 
venture  to  state  that  those  who  are  best  acquainted  with  them  as  working 
dogs  are  not  so  competent  to  judge  symmetry  and  an  approach  to  quality  as 
is  an  all-round  judge  of  dogs.  Give  a  man  who  is  accustomed  to  ring  work 
a  class  of  Chesapeakes  to  judge,  and  all  he  needs  to  be  told  is  what  they 
are  used  for  and  the  preferred  colour.  From  him  you  will  probably  get 
far  better  selections  than  from  those  who  may  have  had  plenty  of  experience 
with  the  breed  as  workers  but  have  little  knowledge  of  dogs  in  general  and 
do  not  possess  the  judging  eye. 

We  have  stated  what  in  our  opinion  should  be  the  guide  for  judging 
this  breed,  and  it  will  be  seen  by  what  we  give  below  that  it  differs  in  several 
essentials  from  what  was  presented  to  the  American  Kennel  Club,  as  the 
work  of  a  committee  appointed  in  1885  to  submit  a  standard.  The  club 
did  not  adopt  any  of  the  standards  so  submitted,  and  this  one  remains  but 
the  expression  of  the  opinion  of  Messrs.  Pearson,  Norris  and  Malcolm,  who 
formed  the  committee.  We  believe  there  was  a  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog  Club 
before  that,  and  that  this  was  the  standard  of  that  club,  with  the  exception 
that  in  the  scale  of  points  each  of  the  four  properties  for  which  a  value  of 


330  The  Dog  Book 

fifteen  is  given  the  original  club  figures  were  fourteen  for  each,  and  the 
four  points  of  difference  were  added  to  colour,  which  made  that  property 
twelve  in  place  of  eight,  as  given  below. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Head. — Broad,  running  to  nose  only  a  trifle  pointed,  but  not  sharp; 
eyes  of  yellow  colour;  ears  small,  placed  well  up  on  head;  face  covered 
with  very  short  hair. 

Neck. — Should  be  only  moderately  long,  and  with  a  firm,  strong  appear- 
ance. 

Shoulders  and  Chest. — Shoulders  should  have  full  liberty,  with  plenty 
of  show  for  power  and  no  tendency  to  restriction  of  movement;  chest  strong 
and  deep. 

Back,  Quarters  and  Stifles. — Should  show  fully  as  much  if  not  more 
power  than  fore  quarters  and  be  capable  of  standing  prolonged  strain. 
Any  tendency  of  weakness  must  be  avoided.  Ducking  on  the  broad  waters 
of  Chesapeake  Bay  involves,  at  times,  facing  a  tide  and  sea,  and  in  cases 
of  following  wounded  fowl  a  dog  is  frequently  subjected  to  a  long  swim. 
Legs,  Elbows,  Hocks  and  Feet. — Legs  should  be  short,  showing  both 
bone  and  muscle,  and  with  well-webbed  feet  of  good  size;  fore  legs  rather 
straight  and  symmetrical.  It  is  to  be  understood  that  short  legs  do  not 
convey  the  idea  of  a  dumpy  formation.  Elbows  well  let  down  and  set 
straight,  for  development  of  easy  movement. 

Stern. — Should  be  stout,  somewhat  long — the  straighter  the  better — 
and  showing  only  moderate  feather. 

Symmetry  and  Quality. — The  Chesapeake  Bay  dog  should  show  a 
bright,  lively,  intelligent  expression,  with  general  outlines  good  at  all  points; 
in  fact  a  dog  worthy  of  notice  in  any  company. 

Coat  and  Texture. — Short  and  thick,  somewhat  coarse,  with  tendency 
to  wave  over  shoulders,  back  and  loins,  where  it  is  longest;  nowhere  over 
one  and  a  quarter  to  one  and  a  half  inches  long;  that  on  the  flanks,  legs 
and  belly  shorter,  tapering  to  quite  short  near  the  feet.  Under  all  this  a 
short,  woolly  fur  which  should  well  cover  the  skin  and  can  be  readily  observed 
by  pressing  aside  the  outer  coat.  This  coat  preserves  the  dog  from  the 
eff^ects  of  the  wet  and  cold,  and  enables  him  to  stand  severe  exposure.  A 
shake  or  two  throws  oflF  all  the  water,  and  is  conducive  to  speed  in  swimming. 


A  bird  down.     The  "  Bay  dug"  startinj;  out  to  retrieve 


Turning  back  to  shore  in  good  form 


id  the  decoys— all  in  one  pi'  ture 


Bringing  in  the  bird 


p 

mm 

j^Ti-t.^gK^^iyr^r'iT''" 

i 

1 

p  ,' 

■*c:;> 

1 

1 

The  dog's  share  of  the  sport 


Delivering  the  bird 


THE   CHESAPEAKE    BAY    DOG   AT   WORK 


The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog  331 

Colour. — Nearly  resembling  wet  sedge  grass,  though  toward  spring  it 
becomes  lighter  by  exposure  to  the  weather.  A  small  spot  or  frill  on  breast 
is  admissible.  Colour  is  important,  as  the  dog  in  most  cases  is  apt  to  be 
outside  the  blind,  consequently  too  dark  is  objectionable;  the  deep  liver 
of  the  spaniel,  making  much  deeper  contrast,  is  to  be  avoided. 

Weight. — Should  be  about  60  pounds,  too  large  a  dog  being  unwieldy 
and  lacking  quickness  of  movement.  Bitches  are  usually  smaller  than  the 
sdogs,  but  not  necessarily  so. 

Scale  of  Points 

Head,  including  ears,  lips  Stern 4 

and  eyes 15  Symmetry  and  quality 6 

Neck 6  Coat  and  texture 16 

Shoulders 15  Colour 8 

Back,  quarters  and  stifles. . .  15 

Legs,  elbows,  hocks  and  

feet 15                Total 100 


CHAPTER  XXI 


The    Dalmatian 


T  is  passing  strange  how  such  a  man  as  BufFon  came  to  name 
the  Dalmatian  the  Bengal  Harrier,  and  Youatt  was  as  bad 
when  he  lumped  him  in  with  the  Great  Dane — the  Danish 
dog,  as  he  was  called  at  that  time — as  only  differing  in 
size.  The  Dalmatian  is  a  dog  of  ancient  lineage  and  with 
as  straight  a  record  as  almost  any  dog.  He  was  the  hound  that  came  from 
Dalmatia,  and  there  is  little  reason  to  doubt  that  he  was  of  the  same  class 
of  hound  that  the  pointer  emanated  from.  Even  to  this  day  they  have 
very  much  in  common,  in  appearance,  habits  and  disposition,  and  the 
Dalmatian  is  by  no  means  a  bad  shooting  dog,  when  any  attention  is  paid 
to  his  training. 

Spotted  dogs  were  known  in  Egypt.  The  illustration  of  dogs  in  the 
frontispiece  of  Part  I.,  showing  a  number  of  dogs  which  were  received  as 
tribute,  should  have  shown  the  fore  leg  of  the  farther  dog  in  the  front  row 
as  spotted,  but  the  spots  were  omitted  by  the  artist  who  copied  the  group  in 
line  drawing  only.  Stonehenge  points  out  that  quite  a  good  many  black- 
and-white  pointers,  while  not  marked  so  symmetrically  as  are  Dalmatians, 
could  doubtless  be  much  improved  in  that  respect  if  attention  was  paid  to 
marking.  All  ticked  dogs  are  usually  heavily  marked  about  the  head,  and 
one  of  the  difficulties  with  the  Dalmatian  is  to  avoid  heavily  marked  ears, 
which  are  nowadays  objected  to.  In  descriptions  published  earlier  in  the 
nineteenth  century  tan  cheeks  were  spoken  of,  and  within  the  past  thirty 
years  one  of  the  recognised  colours,  the  one  placed  second  in  point  of  merit 
by  Stonehenge  and  considered  very  desirable  by  Dalziel,  was  the  black- 
spotted  dog  with  liver  ticks  on  the  legs.  These  were  by  no  means  uncom- 
mon thirty  years  ago,  and  were  thought  equally  good  if  not  better  than  the 
entirely  black  spotted.  Why  the  Dalmation  Clubs  of  England  should 
have  barred  this  liver  spotting  on  the  legs  is  not  quite  plain,  for  the  new 
fanciers  certainly  do  not  know  any  more  about  the  breed  than  those  who 
knew  them   at  that   period.     We   remember   buying   a   Dalmatian   some 

333 


334  The  Dog  Book 

twenty-five  years  ago  mainly  because  she  was  particularly  well  spotted  on 
the  legs  and  on  the  side  of  the  cheeks  with  a  nice  liver  colour. 

We  may  be  wrong  in  our  recollection,  but  we  think  the  Dalmatian 
up  to  that  time  was  a  somewhat  larger  and  stronger  dog  than  we  have 
seen  of  late.  They  were  used  far  more  to  accompany  carriages  in  London 
than  can  be  seen  now;  and  going  back  thirty-five  years  still  more  were  to 
be  seen,  many  cropped  closely,  not  like  the  bull  terrier  or  Great  Dane, 
but  as  the  pug  was,  the  entire  ear  being  cut  off.  This  practice  was  not 
entirely  discontinued  as  late  as  i860,  though  it  was  going  out  of  fashion 
rapidly  then.  Thirty  years  before  that  it  was  spoken  of  as  being  discon- 
tinued, but  we  can  very  well  remember  seeing  many  Dalmatians  and  pugs 
mutilated  in  this  fashion,  and  they  were  by  no  means  so  exceptional  as  to 
excite  comment. 

At  that  time  a  common  name  for  the  Dalmatian  was  Talbot,  but  we 
do  not  find  it  in  any  of  the  books  of  that  period,  nor  indeed  in  any  book 
we  have  except  the  lately  issued  "Twentieth-Century  Dog,"  to  which 
Mrs.  Bedwell  contributes  some  remarks,  and  says:  "The  'Talbot'  is  no 
pumped-up  modern  breed."  The  Talbot  we  know  was  a  hound,  one  of 
the  tracking  kind,  and  of  the  white  varieties  known  in  England  the  all 
white  was  considered  excellent;  so  were  the  all  black.  "But  if  white 
hounds  are  spotted  with  black,  experience  tells  us  they  are  never  the  best 
hare  hunters.  White,  and  black  and  white,  and  grey  streaked  white  are 
also  the  most  beautiful."  That  was  what  was  written  several  hundred 
years  ago. 

It  is  easy  to  say  now  that  the  Dalmatians  are  not  hounds.  True, 
they  are  not  what  we  know  as  hounds,  but  what  did  they  mean  to  include 
or  exclude  when  they  said  hounds  in  these  bygone  days.  We  know  what 
we  mean  by  a  mastiff,  but  who  can  say  what  mastiff  meant,  even  in  1700. 
For  instance,  in  an  old  sportsman's  dictionary  the  description  of  "Wolf" 
begins  with  "a  kind  of  wild  mastiff."  At  the  end  of  "Bandog"  it  says, 
"See  Shepherd's  mastiff."  There  is  neither  mastiff  nor  shepherd's  mastiff 
in  the  book,  but  we  know  that  what  we  call  the  smooth  collie  was  then 
the  shepherd's  mastiff.  So  instead  of  Talbot  being  quite  out  of  place  as 
a  name  for  the  Dalmatian,  it  is  more  than  likely  that  it  was  the  lingering 
survival  of  what  the  dog  originally  was  among  persons  who  did  not  keep 
up  to  date  in  changes  of  nomenclature,  just  as  one  hears  some  old  timer 
speak  of  a  "rare  bull  and  terrier." 


THE   DALMATIAN 
From  ••  Bewick's  Quadrupeds." 


THE  DALMATIAN 
From  a  painting  by  Reinagle 


The  Dalmatian  335 

That  we  do  not  see  the  Dalmatian  figured  in  old  paintings  does  not 
imply  that  he  was  not  an  English  dog  at  the  time  we  speak  of,  for  we 
know  that  the  small  beagles  were  court  dogs  in  Queen  Elizabeth's  time, 
but  we  have  not  yet  seen  a  picture  of  any  of  them,  nor  any  reference  to 
any  such  picture.  Beagles  were  playthings,  we  fancy,  and  not  taken  seriously; 
and  these  particular  spotted  hounds  were  probably  looked  upon  in  much 
the  same  way,  as  not  of  the  genuine  hunting  class,  and  so  bred  about  the 
place  for  their  fancy  markings,  and,  having  no  particular  vocation,  were 
taken  with  carriage  parties  when  that  manner  of  conveyance  became 
more  common.  Coaches  were  not  in  anything  like  common  use  in  Eng- 
land, even  among  the  wealthy,  until  well  into  the  seventeenth  century. 

Who  first  mentioned  the  Dalmatian  we  have  not  yet  found  out.  Buf- 
fon,  possibly,  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Up  to  that 
time  English  writers  on  dogs  had  little  to  say  about  any  animal  not  used 
in  sport,  and  in  that  case  colour  was  not  an  essential,  though  sportsmen 
and  sporting  writers  had  fancies  regarding  certain  colours.  Bewick,  at 
the  close  of  the  century,  included  the  Dalmatian,  or  coach  dog,  in  his 
"History 'of  Quadrupeds,"  and,  as  might  be  expected,  gives  an  excellent 
illustration,  even  to  the  padlocked  brass  collar  which  was  always  the  correct 
thing  for  the  coach  dog.  The  ears  are  cropped  closely,  as  was  the  custom, 
but  Bewick  wrote:  "We  do  not  admire  the  cruel  practice  of  depriving 
the  poor  animal  of  its  ears,  in  order  to  increase  its  beauty;  a  practice  so 
general  that  we  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  seen  one  of  these  dogs  unmu- 
tilated  in  that  way."  Bewick's  Dalmatian  has  a  small  black  patch  at  the 
ear  and  a  much  larger  but  lighter  one  around  the  eye.  The  Dalmatian 
of  Reinagle  in  the  "Sportsman's  Repository"  is  a  more  racing-built  dog 
than  Bewick's,  and  was  most  likely  a  portrait  dog,  as  the  spots  run  some- 
what in  colour.  It  has  a  china  eye  and  is  dark  around  the  eyes,  and 
has  its  ears  cropped,  as  was  the  custom.  Captain's  Brown's  Dalmatian 
like  all  his  illustrations,  is  stiff  and  wooden,  but  it  has  natural  ears, 
and  he  wrote  that  the  barbarous  practice  of  cropping  was  then  (1829) 
quickly  dying  out.  The  whole  ear  is  black,  and  there  is  a  mark  around 
the  eyes  as  in  the  other  drawings  just  named.  The  description  is  that  he 
is  something  between  the  foxhound  and  pointer.  "His  head  is  more  acute 
than  that  of  the  latter,  and  his  ears  fully  longer;  his  general  colour  is  white, 
and  his  whole  body  and  legs  are  covered  with  small,  irregular-sized  black 
or  reddish-brown  spots.     The  pure  breed  has  tanned  cheeks  and  black 


336  The  Dog  Book 

ears."  As  each  of  these  independent  delineators  of  the  Dalmatian  shows 
this  tanned  eye  mark,  and  two  of  them  the  black  ear — Reinagle  shows  a 
dark  rim  to  the  outer  edge  of  the  ear  and  a  largish  splash  close  behind, 
so  that  the  ear  was  undoubtedly  black  in  its  entirety — it  is  simply  one  of 
the  oddities  of  "fancy"  for  present-day  exhibitors  to  say  the  Dalmatian 
must  not  have  black  ears,  and  must  have  no  liver  or  tan  if  black  spotted. 
Fully  half  of  the  show  Dalmatians,  notwithstanding  the  efforts  of  thirty 
years'  breeding  to  get  rid  of  the  black  ears,  still,  have  them,  and  when  you 
do  get  a  dog  with  spotted  ears  he  is  usually  lightly  spotted  over  the  body. 
A  very  good  spotted  dog  in  body  is  seldom  near  right  in  ear,  and,  if  we 
must  speak  our  mind,  we  see  no  objection  to  a  black  ear.  It  is  as  old  as 
the  hills  with  the  breed,  and  why  now  assert  that  it  is  wrong  ?  We  really 
must  say  that  we  have  very  little  patience  with  some  of  these  modern  im- 
provements, and  when  we  see  dogs  that  would  tire  at  the  end  of  a  mile  or 
two,  owing  to  their  faulty  conformation,  getting  places  over  true-made 
dogs  because  of  a  little  advantage  in  spotting,  we  get  very  tired  of  the  fads 
of  fancy. 

The  Dalmatian  is  primarily  a  dog  that  should  be  able  to  run  all  day 
long,  and  that  not  over  springy  pasture  land  but  on  hard  roads  and  paved 
thoroughfares;  therefore  he  should  be  as  nearly  perfect  in  legs,  feet,  shoulders 
and  running  symmetry  as  possible.  Then,  when  you  have  got  a  dog  that 
can  run,  the  spots  should  count,  but  not  the  spotting  first.  Take  that  dog 
of  Reinagle's;  how  many  of  our  present-day  winners  could  he  not  beat, 
"one  down,  t'other  come  on,"  following  a  coach  on  an  all-day  run  .?  Spot- 
ting is  all  well  enough  if  we  are  merely  to  consider  the  Dalmatian  as  a 
dog  about  the  premises,  as  we  do  a  mastiff  or  St.  Bernard,  but  the  moment 
we  undertake  to  judge  him  as  a  coach  dog  then  the  principal  requirement 
is  the  conformation  that  will  enable  him  to  run  as  a  coach  dog  is  supposed 
to  do.  Really  it  is  a  very  difficult  thing  to  do  justice  in  a  Dalmatian  class, 
or  at  least  to  give  satisfaction,  for  if  it  is  a  judge  who  goes  for  spotting 
because  it  is  easier  than  conformation  plus  spotting,  the  owner  of  a  well- 
made  dog  feels  aggrieved,  and,  vice  versa,  the  man  who  must  have  a  dog 
that  can  run  has  a  disgruntled  exhibitor  in  the  owner  of  the  bad-shouldered, 
nicely  marked  dog  who  has  won  a  whole  lot  of  prizes  elsewhere.  It  is 
really  one  of  those  breeds  where  the  judge  should  practice  the  art  of  self- 
defence  and  resort  to  point  judging;  then  if  he  does  not  put  the  dog  satis- 
factorily it  is  the  dog's  fault  and  not  his. 


KING    COLE 
Owned  by  Mr.  F.  Fred  Willis,  Columbus,  O. 


WINDYV ALLEY  ROADSTER  and  BENRINO 
Owned  by  the  Windy  Valley  Kennels 


JEAN 
Owned  by  Mrs.  Edward  Atkins,  Germantown,  Pa. 


The  Dalmatian  337 

The  life  of  the  Dalmatian  in  this  country  as  a  show  dog  has  been  brief. 
We  have  always  had  the  Dalmatian,  one  may  say,  but  only  occasionally 
was  one  to  be  seen  about  New  York,  almost  invariably  about  some  stable. 
This  was  only  what  might  be  expected,  for,  whoever  brought  them  from 
abroad,  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  they  were  mainly  coachmen  or  grooms,  and 
the  dogs  went  with  them  to  the  stables.  In  the  early  seventies  we  remember 
a  Dalmatian  kept  at  a  livery  stable  in  Charles  Street,  New  York,  and 
this  was  the  first  dog  we  ever  saw  running  between  the  horses  when  out 
with  a  carriage  and  pair.  The  English  style,  when  the  dog  was  not  running 
in  advance,  was  for  it  to  run  underneath  the  carriage  and  close  behind  the 
horses.  Bewick,  in  one  of  his  quaint  little  tailpieces,  shows  a  coach  drawn 
by  a  pair,  one  horse  ridden  by  a  postilion,  with  the  dog  running  by  the 
roadside. 

Perhaps  the  most  thoughtless  statement  regarding  the  development 
of  the  Dalmatian,  and  repeated  up  to  the  latest  English  dog  book,  is  that 
he  is  a  production  of  a  cross  with  the  bull  terrier,  or  that  the  bull  terrier 
has  been  used  to  improve  the  Dalmatian.  How  a  dog  that  was  so  thoroughly 
established  in  1800  could  be  improved  by  a  dog  not  known  at  all  until 
1825  or  thereabouts  is  somewhat  beyond  our  comprehension.  By  a  vivid 
stretch  of  the  imagination  one  might  hold  that  the  mottling  sometimes  seen 
on  the  skin  of  the  bull  terrier  was  caused  by  a  cross  with  the  Dalmatian, 
but  the  bull  terrier  to  help  in  building  up  the  Dalmatian  is  ridiculous. 
To  be  quite  up  to  date  they  ought  to  say  it  was  the  Boston  terrier,  and  that 
with  just  as  much  foundation  in  fact. 

In  looking  up  the  career  of  the  Dalmatian  as  a  show  dog  in  this  country 
it  is  somewhat  surprising  to  find  New  York  without  classes  for  the  breed 
for  many  years  after  they  were  provided  at  many  other  shows.  As  far 
as  San  Francisco  and  Los  Angeles  we  have  records  of  winning  Dalmatians 
when  New  York  provided  nothing  for  the  breed,  and  it  was  not  until  1896 
that  the  premier  show  of  the  country  opened  classes  for  Dalmatians.  There 
was  not  much  support,  however,  until  Doctor  Lougest  added  them  to  his 
mastiff  and  bloodhound  kennels,  and,  with  a  few  passably  good  dogs,  had 
matters  his  own  way  for  a  year  or  two.  Mr.  Martin  and  Mr.  Sergeant  Price, 
of  Philadelphia,  then  took  up  the  breed,  and  just  before  the  first  shows  of 
the  present  year  Mr.  j.  B.  Thomas,  Jr.,  of  Simsbury,  and  Mr.  H.  T.  Peters, 
of  Islip,  L.  I.,  decided  to  add  Dalmatians  to  those  they  were  individually 
connected  with — Russian  wolf  hounds  and  beagles — and  formed  a  partner- 


338  The  Dog  Book 

ship  known  as  the  Windy  Valley  Kennels.  They  started  in  with  the  greatest 
enthusiasm,  and  getting  together  as  many  of  the  fanciers  of  Dalmatians  as 
possible,  a  club  was  organised  to  foster  the  breed.  This  was  followed  by 
application  for  a  good  classification  at  the  New  York  Show,  and,  Mr.  Peters 
being  on  the  show  committee  of  the  Westminster  Kennel  Club,  the  response 
was  the  opening  of  five  classes,  for  which  a  surprisingly  good  entry  resulted : 
eight  in  puppies,  ten  in  novice,  thirteen  in  limit,  eleven  in  open  dogs  and 
nine  in  open  bitches.  The  successful  dogs  were  for  the  most  part  from 
England,  and  were  beyond  question  an  improvement  on  what  we  had  been 
in  the  habit  of  seeing  at  American  shows. 

The  American  Dalmatian  Club  is  in  good  hands,  and  all  that  is  necessary 
for  its  continued  success  is  a  continuation  of  the  same  spirit  of  enterprise 
which  has  characterised  its  management  during  its  first  year.  It  has  not  the 
easy  path  to  success  that  so  many  clubs  have  had,  with  a  membership  ready 
to  hand  without  the  asking,  for  the  admirers  and  supporters  of  this  breed 
are  by  no  means  numerous  and  will  require  to  be  largely  recruited  before 
it  is  likely  to  be  put  on  a  secure  footing,  for  in  all  clubs  there  are  always 
some  members  who  are  like  the  seed  that  fell  on  stony  ground,  and  they 
form  a  percentage  that  has  to  be  overcome  by  hard  work  on  the  part  of 
those  who  can  get  in  new  additions.  The  impetus  given  the  breed  by  the 
club  is  an  excellent  illustration  of  what  can  be  accomplished  by  a  specialty 
club,  which  goes  to  work  in  a  sportsmanlike  manner. 

The  standard  which  we  give  is  that  of  the  English  Dalmatian  Club, 
but  it  is  not  one  to  our  liking,  and  not  at  all  suitable  for  the  purpose  of  letting 
a  novice  know  what  is  really  wanted.  To  assist  in  that  piece  of  education, 
we  will  say  that  in  our  opinion  the  Dalmatian  thould  be  built  very  much 
upon  the  lines  of  a  good  pointer,  but  with  no  more  substance  than  gives 
the  idea  that  the  dog  is  a  strongly  built  one  and  capable  of  travelling  easily 
at  a  moderately  fast  pace  for  a  distance.  The  standard  says  "heavy  in 
bone,"  as  if  one  wanted  a  mastiff.  You  do  not  say  heavy  in  bone  in  regard 
to  a  pointer,  but  good  in  bone,  meaning  that  the  dog  must  not  look  light 
in  that  respect;  and  so  with  this  dog.  The  head  is  rather  difficult  to  describe, 
but  the  idea  can  be  best  conveyed  by  saying  that  it  must  not  be  that  of  a 
good  pointer,  but  more  akin  to  what  might  be  called  weak  in  head  in  a 
pointer,  with  a  little  less  squareness  and  lip.  The  eye  should  be  smarter 
and  the  expression  brighter  than  that  of  the  pointer,  with  the  ears  higher 
on  the  head.     The  standard  calls  for  spotted  ears,  but  we  think  we  have 


CHAMPION  FAUNTLEROV— Liver  Spotted  DENBIGH  DUKE 

Owned  by  Mr.  W.  B.  Herman,  Newbury,  Eng. 


BISMARK 
Owned  by  Mr.  F.  Fred  Willis,  Columbus,  O. 


The  Dalmatian  339 

proved  our  case  that  the  ears  are  more  properly  black.  Of  course  they 
should  be  of  a  size  to  suit  the  dog  and  not  appear  large  or  heavy.  The 
carriage  of  the  tail  is  best  illustrated  in  the  Reinagle  dog,  that  of  Bewick 
being  far  too  much  curled  and  his  dog  rather  too  mastiff-like  in  its  substance. 
With  regard  to  colour,  unless  called  upon  to  judge  under  a  particular 
standard,  we  should  not  penalise  a  dog  for  black  ears,  nor  for  tan  spots  on 
the  legs  or  cheeks,  for  these  we  know  to  have  been  proper  Dalmatian 
colourings  from  the  very  first  of  our  information  regarding  the  breed  up  to 
the  time  these  English  clubs  were  started,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  the 
change  should  have  been  made.  Number  of  spots  on  a  dog  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  case;  what  counts  is  sharpness  of  outline,  the  evenness  with  which 
they  are  distributed  and  their  regularity  as  to  size.  We  have  never  seen 
any  Dalmatian,  to  our  mind,  the  equal  of  the  renowned  Captain  in  the 
matter  of  distinctness  and  regularity  of  spotting.  He  was  unbeatable  in 
his  day,  and  had  tan  spots  on  his  legs,  which  were  thought  most  attractive 
too.  Both  Stonehenge  and  Vero  Shaw  took  Captain  as  illustrating  what  a 
Dalmatian  should  be.  What  his  weight  was  we  do  not  know,  but  his 
measurements  were  as  follows:  nose  to  stop,  3^  inches;  stop  to  occiput,  5 
inches;  length  of  back,  21  inches;  girth  of  forearm,  7  inches;  girth  of  knee, 
5  inches;  girth  of  pastern,  4^  inches;  height  at  shoulders,  22  inches;  height 
at  elbow,  12  inches;  height  at  loins,  20  inches;  height  at  hock,  5I  inches; 
length  of  tail,  12^  inches. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

The  Dalmatian  in  many  particulars  much  resembles  the  pointer, 
more  especially  in  size,  build  and  outline,  though  the  markings  peculiar 
to  this  breed  are  a  very  important  feature  and  highly  valued. 

General  Appearance. — ^The  Dalmatian  should  represent  a  strong, 
muscular  and  active  dog,  symmetrical  in  outline  and  free  from  coarseness 
and  lumber;  capable  of  great  endurance,  combined  with  a  fair  amount  of 
speed. 

Head. — Should  be  of  fair  length,  the  skull  flat,  rather  broad  between 
the  ears,  and  moderately  well  defined  at  the  temples,  i.  e.,  exhibiting  a 
moderate  amount  of  stop  and  not  in  one  straight  line  from  the  nose  to  the 
occiput  bone,  as  required  in  a  bull  terrier.  It  should  be  entirely  free  from 
wrinkle. 


340  The  Dog  Book 

Muzzle. — Should  be  long  and  powerful;  the  lips  clean,  fitting  the  jaw 
moderately  close. 

Eyes. — Should  be  set  moderately  well  apart  and  of  medium  size, 
round,  bright  and  sparkling,  with  an  intelligent  expression,  their  colour 
greatly  depending  on  the  markings  of  the  dog.  In  the  black-spotted 
variety  the  eyes  should  be  dark  (black  or  dark  brown);  in  the  liver-spotted 
variety  they  should  be  light  (yellow  or  light  brown). 

Rim  round  the  Eyes. — In  the  black-spotted  variety  should  be  black, 
in  the  liver-spotted  variety,  brown — never  flesh  coloured  in  either. 

Ears. — Should  be  set  on  rather  high,  of  moderate  size,  rather  wide  at 
the  base  and  gradually  tapering  to  a  rounded  point.  They  should  be 
carried  close  to  the  head,  be  thin  and  fine  in  texture,  and  always  spotted, 
the  more  profusely  the  better. 

Nose. — In  the  black-spotted  variety  should  always  be  black,  in  the  liver- 
spotted  variety,  always  brown. 

Neck  and  Shoulders. — The  neck  should  be  fairly  long,  nicely  arched, 
light  and  tapering,  and  entirely  free  from  throatiness.  The  shoulders 
should  be  moderately  oblique,  clean  and  muscular,  denoting  speed. 

Body,  Back,  Chest  and  Loins. — The  chest  should  not  be  too  wide 
but  very  deep  and  capacious,  ribs  moderately  well  sprung,  never  rounded 
like  barrel  hoops  (which  would  indicate  want  of  speed),  the  back  powerful; 
loin  strong,  muscular  and  slightly  arched. 

Legs  and  Feet. — Are  of  great  importance.  The  fore  legs  should  be 
perfectly  straight,  strong  and  heavy  in  bone;  elbows  close  to  the  body. 
Fore  feet  round,  compact,  with  well-arched  toes  (cat  foot),  and  round,  tough, 
elastic  pads.  In  the  hind  legs  the  muscles  should  be  clean  though  well 
defined;  hocks  well  let  down. 

Nails. — In  the  black-spotted  variety,  black  and  white. 
Tail. — Should  not  be  too  long,  strong  at  the  insertion  and  gradually 
tapering  toward  the  end,  free  from  coarseness.     It  should  not  be  inserted 
too  low  down,  but  carried  with  a  slight  curve  upward,  and  never  curled. 
It  should  be  spotted,  the  more  profusely  the  better. 

Coat. — Should  be  short,  hard,  dense  and  fine,  sleek  and  glossy  in 
appearance,  but  neither  woolly  nor  silky. 

Colour  and  Markings. — ^These  are  most  important  points.  The 
ground  colour  in  both  varieties  should  be  pure  white,  very  decided  and  not 
intermixed.     The  colour  of  the  spots  in  the  black-spotted  variety  should 


POLKA  DOT 

Owned  by  Mr.  H.  Fred  Lauer,  of  Ashland,  Pa. 


QUEtN    bPUl 
Owned  by  Mr.  H.  Fred  Lauer,  of  Ashbnd,  Pa. 


The  Dalmatian  341 

be  black,  the  deeper  and  richer  the  black  the  better;  in  the  liver-spotted 
variety  they  should  be  brown.  The  spots  should  not  intermingle  but  be 
as  round  and  v^ell  defined  as  possible,  the  more  distinct  the  better;  in  size 
they  should  be  from  that  of  a  sixpence  to  a  florin  [a  cent  to  a  little  larger 
than  a  quarter-dollar].  The  spots  on  head,  face,  ears,  legs,  tail  and  ex- 
tremities to  be  smaller  than  those  on  the  body. 

Weight. — Dogs,  55  pounds;  bitches,  50  pounds. 

Scale  of  Points 

Head  and  eyes 10         Coat 5 

Ears 5         Colour  and  markings  ...    30 

Neck  and  shoulders 10         Tail 5 

Body,  back,  chest  and  loins  .    10         Size,  symmetry,  etc 10 

Legs  and  feet 15  

Total icx) 


I 


-^■"'.5 


THE   CUR   DOG 
By  Bewick 


THE   SHEPHERD'S   DOG 
By  Bewick 


THE   SHEPHtkD  S   DuG    ^^„u^■; 
By  Howitt 


TntL  BaisuuG 

By  Bewick 


CHAMPION    SQUIRE   OF   TYTTON 
A    CENTURY    OF    IMPROVEMENT,    1805-1905 


CHAPTER  XXII 

Rough-Coated  Collie 

HEN  BufFon  stated  that  the  shepherd  dog  was  the  original 
dog  from  which  all  others  had  descended,  he  was  a  good 
deal  nearer  the  truth  than  in  a  number  of  his  theoretical 
assertions,  many  of  which  have  been  proved  erroneous. 
One  of  the  earliest  dogs  man  must  have  had  was  that  which 
took  care  of  his  property  and  protected  his  flocks  from  wild  animals.  The 
mistake  all  are  likely  to  make  in  considering  this  claim  of  Buffon's  is  to 
assume  that  the  particular  sheep  dog  with  which  each  one  is  most  familiar 
was  the  one  Buffon  meant,  whereas  every  nation  has  its  sheep  dog,  England 
alone  having  three,  and  by  England  we  mean,  of  course,  the  British  King- 
dom, BufFon  could  have  known  little  or  nothing  about  the  sheep  dogs  of 
England,  and  much  less  of  that  of  Scotland,  hence  neither  of  the  three  is  a 
competitor  for  the  right  to  be  considered  the  most  ancient  of  all  breeds  of 
dogs.  But  no  matter  what  the  age  of  the  breed  may  be,  there  is  no  question 
as  to  the  high  rank  in  popularity  enjoyed  by  the  rough  or  Scotch  collie  at 
the  present  day. 

If  we  are  to  take  the  records  of  the  American  Kennel  Club  as  an  in- 
fallible guide,  he  is  beyond  question  the  dog  of  the  day.  Volume  XX,  of  the 
"Stud  Book"  showing  that  267  pages  were  required  for  the  record  of 
collies,  while  140  pages  sufficed  for  setters,  172  for  Boston  terriers  and  106 
for  pointers.  The  whole  of  the  spaniels  were  put  on  seventy-two  pages, 
and  the  one-time  leader  in  popularity,  the  fox  terrier,  filled  the  same  number 
of  pages  as  the  spaniels.  While  not  absolutely  correct  as  a  guide  to  the 
number  of  setters,  so  many  being  bred  for  use  only  and  never  registered, 
yet  there  is  no  throwing  out  the  evidence  of  the  great  popularity  of  the 
Scotch  collie  in  this  country  as  well  as  in  England. 

Where  the  collie  came  from  is  and  always  will  be  a  mystery.  He 
could  not  have  gone  north  from  England  without  also  having  gone  into 
Wales  or  Ireland,  and  every  vestige  of  the  breed  could  hardly  have  dis- 
appeared from  England  had  it  once  been  in  use  there.     They  ask  us  to 

343 


344  The  Dog  Book 

believe  that  the  name  is  from  the  old  English  word  "coll,"  meaning  black 
or  dark,  and  that  as  the  collies  were  mainly  black  it  just  meant  the  black 
dog,  and  then  came  into  use  for  the  sheep  dog.  The  objections  to  that  are 
many,  but  here  are  two:  the  word  collie,  or  colley,  or,  still  older,  coally, 
came  south,  and  there  were  plenty  of  black  dogs  in  England  to  which  the 
word  collie  or  any  of  its  equivalents  was  never  applied;  and  secondly, 
there  is  a  Gaelic  or  Celtic  word  for  the  dog,  which  is  phonetically  spelled 
collie,  and  with  the  broad  "o"  of  the  Northerner  could  very  well  be  Bewick's 
"coally." 

Lee  holds  to  the  opinion  that  it  came  from  black-faced  sheep  being 
called  by  that  name,  and  thus  the  dog  that  looked  after  the  colleys  was  the 
colley  dog.  To  accept  this  we  must  assume  that  this  name  for  the  variety 
of  sheep  was  universal,  and  that  is  not  in  evidence.  Lee  quotes  the  "Dic- 
tionary of  Husbandry,"  1743,  which  gives  the  word  colley  as  being  "such 
sheep  as  have  black  faces  and  legs.  The  wool  of  these  sheep  is  very  harsh 
with  hairs,  and  not  so  white  as  other  sheep."  It  seems  somewhat  strange 
that  this  name  for  certain  sheep  should  have  died  out  so  quickly,  for  it  is 
found  nowhere  else  that  we  are  aware  of,  and  surely  persons  who  wrote  of 
collies  a  century  ago  had  pretty  good  knowledge  of  what  was  common 
fifty  years  before.  Of  course  if  there  was  not  a  more  evident  origin  than 
the  Highland  word — which  is  akin  to  the  Irish  word  for  colleen — the  black- 
faced-sheep  suggestion  would  be  a  little  better  than  any  other,  but  it  is 
not  worth  considering  in  the  face  of  the  very  plain  fact  that  the  word  is 
Gaelic  or  Celtic. 

It  is  probable  that  the  word  travelled  south  with  more  freedom  in  some 
directions.  Our  knowledge  of  Scotland  is  of  the  east  side,  Edinburgh  to 
Dunbar,  and  later  at  school  at  Jedburgh;  good  old  Jethart,  with  its  relics 
of  the  oldest  of  English  in  its  "yow"  and  "mie"  for  you  and  me,  and  its 
historical  Jethart  justice.  We  do  not  recall  when  we  did  not  know  the  dog 
as  the  collie,  pronounced  as  Bewick  spelled  it.  Undoubtedly  we  heard  it 
called  shepherd's  dog,  and  probably  collie  dog,  but  as  long  as  we  have 
known  the  dog  we  seem  to  have  known  him  as  the  collie,  and  that  of  course 
from  what  our  elders  called  the  variety.  At  the  same  time  we  have  no 
recollection  of  the  name  as  applied  to  sheep  of  any  kind. 

From  the  first  drawings  of  the  rough  collie,  which  are  those  of  Bewick 
and  Howitt,  we  find  him  practically  the  same  dog  that  he  is  to-day,  and  ^ 

totally  different  from  any  other  dog  in  the  British  Isles,  hence  he  is  a  good 


CH.  CHAKLKMAGNE 


NESTA 


CHAMPION    COCKSIE 
This  remnrkable  illustration  is  from  a  photograph  from  life 


Rough-Coated  Collie  ,  345 

deal  of  an  enigma.  It  is  all  very  well  to  point  to  the  similarity  of  the  smooth 
sheep  dog  and  the  rough  collies  of  the  present,  and  decide  off-hand  that 
it  is  only  a  question  of  coat.  With  that  we  do  not  agree  at  all.  As  we 
shall  show  when  it  comes  to  discussing  the  smooth  dog,  the  latter  was 
developed  from  the  common  English  dog  of  the  farm,  the  small  mastiff 
that  went  by  the  name  of  bandog  because  he  was  the  dog  that  was  kept 
on  a  band  or  collar  and  chain — a  watch  dog,  in  fact.  Why  we  hold  that 
need  not  be  gone  into  here,  for  it  is  the  rough  collie  that  is  now  in  the  ring. 

No  other  dog  exactly  resembles  the  rough  dog,  the  product  of  the 
Highlands;  still  he  must  have  come  from  somewhere,  for  he  was  not  a 
locally  developed  animal  confined  to  one  or  two  glens,  but  was  as  wide- 
spread as  the  flocks  he  had  to  guard,  and  of  commanding  blood  when  bred 
to  outside  breeds.  We  might  surmise  that  he  was  akin  to  some  of  the  dogs 
of  northern  Europe,  but  there  are  only  the  Pomeranian,  the  elk  hound  of 
Norway,  and  the  Eskimo  that  bear  even  the  faintest  resemblance.  All  of 
these  have  some  likeness,  but  the  collie  has  always  been  different  in  ear  and 
tail  carriage.  There  is  much  less  difference  between  the  rough  collie  and 
the  dingo  than  anything  else  of  dog-like  resemblance,  but  relationship 
between  them  is  of  course  out  of  the  question.  There  is  one  thing  with 
regard  to  the  Highland  collie  that  we  might  better  mention  here,  and  that 
is  as  to  the  coat.  In  looking  through  some  Landseer  portfolios  and  repro- 
ductions we  were  not  a  little  surprised  to  note  the  number  of  collies  with 
decidedly  medium-length  coats,  very  closely  approaching  to  that  of  the 
smooth  sheep  dog.  Landseer  undoubtedly  copied  every  dog  most  faith- 
fully in  his  drawings;  that  is,  he  made  likenesses  and  did  not  make  them 
all  "Landseer  collies"  of  equal  beauty  and  differing  only  in  colour.  If 
he  painted  a  short-coated  collie  that  dog  was  so  in  the  flesh.  Hence,  seeing 
several  of  these  dogs,  it  led  us  to  question  whether  the  generally  accepted 
supposition  that  the  collies  from  the  Highlands  were  all  heavily  coated  is 
correct.  We  must  recognise  the  fact  that  these  were  working  dogs,  not 
bred  for  coat  but  for  work,  and  the  best  worker  was  used  for  breeding,  not 
only  by  his  owner  but  by  his  friends,  and  they  probably  varied  in  coat  as  in 
other  properties,  and,  of  course,  were  not  always  in  their  full  winter  coat. 

There  is  one  characteristic  we  find  in  all  the  old-time  drawings  of 
collies  that  must  then  have  been  part  and  parcel  of  the  breed,  but  is  now 
seldom  seen.  It  has  been  bred  out,  as  a  disfigurement  or  as  a  fault  of 
conformation.     That  is  the  twist  at  the  end  of  the  tail,  which  every  artist 


34^  The  Dog  Book 

gave  to  the  collie.  We  find  it  in  Bewick's  "Shepherd's  Dog;"  in  Howitt's 
beautiful  etching  in  Bingley's  Quadrupeds,  which  was  entitled  "The 
Shepherd's  Dog,"  with  the  sub  title  of  "Curr";  in  "Brown's  Anecdotes,'* 
published  in  1829;  and  in  an  illustration  of  the  collies,  both  rough  and 
smooth,  of  1843,  given  in  "The  Twentieth  Century  Dog."  All  show  the 
same  upward  curl  and  twist  to  one  side  of  the  end  of  the  tail.  Nowadays  it 
is  described  as  a  wry  tail,  and  is  as  much  condemned  as  if  it  was  the  twisted 
tail  of  some  cockerel  at  a  poultry  show.  We  have  seen  it  in  a  good  many 
dogs,  and,  all  standards  to  the  contrary,  we  like  it  and  look  upon  it  as  thor- 
oughly characteristic. 

Quite  a  number  of  writers  on  the  collie  have  quoted  from  Caius's 
description  of  the  "shepherd's  dogge"  in  treating  of  the  rough  collie,  but 
he  did  not  write  of  that  dog  at  all,  but  the  light  mastiff  or  bandog,  which 
was  used  as  a  sheep  dog.  If  we  recognise  that  mastiff  meant  simply  mongrel 
or  common  dog,  and  that  it  included  pretty  nearly  everything  outside  of 
hounds,  spaniels  and  terriers,  and  not  a  specified  breed  such  as  we  know 
mastiffs,  we  will  the  more  readily  understand  what  produced  the  English 
sheep  dog,  and  that,  as  we  have  already  said,  he  is  not  a  collie  proper, 
though  now  known  in  England  as  the  smooth  collie.  As  Caius  wrote  only 
of  the  smooth  dog,  he  will  be  quoted  in  the  chapter  on  that  breed. 

We  have  already  mentioned  that  it  was  probable  the  term  collie  was 
confined  to  parts'  of  Scotland,  and  that  it  found  headway  down  the  east 
coast  as  far  as  Northumberland,  where  Bewick  gives  it  as  applied  to  both 
rough  and  smooth,  and  also  gives  the  first  representation  of  the  rough  dog 
as  early  as  1790.  This  was  along  the  main  highway  from  Edinburgh  to 
England.  That  it  was  by  no  means  universal  even  as  late  as  1825  "^^7 
be  proved  by  reference  to  Captain  Brown's  "Anecdotes,"  1829,  ^^  which 
there  are  fifty  pages  of  quoted  stories  about  these  dogs.  We  have  gone 
through  these  anecdotes  and  found  that  in  the  first  twenty  pages  the  collie 
is  either  shepherd  dog  or  merely  dog.  The  first  use  of  "colley"  is  in  a 
quotation  from  Blackwood' s  Magazine^  from  a  communication  by  Hogg, 
"The  Ettrick  Shepherd."  As  it  is  a  very  good  illustration  of  the  several 
names  applied  to  the  rough  dog  at  that  time  in  his  section  of  South  Scotland, 
we  will  quote  two  full  paragraphs: 

"  It  is  a  curious  fact  in  the  history  of  these  animals  that  the  most  useless 
of  the  breed  have  often  the  greatest  degree  of  sagacity  in  trifling  and  useless 
matters.     An  exceedingly  good  sheep  dog  attends  to  nothing  else  but  that 


CH.  ORMSKIRK  AMAZEMENT 


CH.   RUlFoRD  ORMONDE 


CH.  CHRISTOPHER 


CH,  SOUTHPORT  PERFECTION 


CH.  METCHLEY  WONDER  CH.  ORMSKIRK  EMERALD 

"PILLARS   OF   THE    STUD    BOOK" 


Rough-Coated  Collie  347 

particular  branch  of  business  to  which  he  is  bred.  His  whole  capacity  is 
exerted  and  exhausted  on  it,  and  he  is  of  little  value  in  miscellaneous  matters, 
whereas  a  very  different  cur,  bred  about  the  house  and  accustomed  to 
assist  in  everything,  will  often  put  the  noble  breed  to  disgrace  in  these 
paltry  services.  If  one  calls  out,  for  instance,  that  the  cows  are  in  the 
corn  or  the  hens  in  the  garden,  the  house  colley  needs  no  other  hint,  but 
runs  and  turns  them  out. 

"The  shepherd's  dog  knows  not  what  is  astir,  and  if  he  is  called  out 
in  a  hurry  for  such  work,  all  that  he  will  do  is  to  break  to  the  hill  and  rear 
himself  up  on  end  to  see  if  no  sheep  are  running  away.  A  bred  sheep  dog, 
if  coming  hungry  from  the  hills  and  getting  into  the  milk  house,  would  most 
likely  think  of  nothing  else  than  filling  his  belly  with  cream.  Not  so  his 
initiated  brother;  he  is  bred  at  home  to  far  higher  principles  of  honour. 
I  have  known  such  to  lie  night  and  day  among  from  ten  to  twenty  pails 
full  of  milk  and  never  once  break  the  cream  of  one  of  them  with  the  tip 
of  his  tongue,  nor  would  he  suffer  rat,  cat  or  any  other  creature  to  touch 
it.     The  latter  sort  are  far  more  acute  at  taking  up  what  is  said  in  a  family." 

Hogg  then  went  on  to  tell  of  some  incidents,  and  in  the  first  two  the 
animal  is  mentioned  merely  by  the  sex  name;  the  third  is  of  a  "dog"  until 
the  final  sentence,  which  is  this:  "I  appeal  to  every  unprejudiced  person 
if  this  was  not  as  like  one  of  the  deil's  tricks  as  an  honest  colley's."  The 
fourth  "dog"  is  described  ?s  "a  female,  a  jet-black  one,  with  a  coat  of 
soft  hair,  but  smooth  headed  and  very  handsome  in  her  make."  The 
fifth  is  about  a  "dog,"  though  with  an  editorial  heading  of  "The  Ashie- 
steel  Collie."  Six  named  contributors  are  then  credited  with  anecdotes, 
and  in  three  the  word  colley  is  given. 

In  the  matter  of  the  colour  of  these  dogs,  Hogg  had  two  that  were 
"not  far  from  the  colour  of  a  fox";  these  were  father  and  son,  and  the  grand- 
sire  was  "almost  all  black,  and  had  a  grim  face,  striped  with  dark  brown." 
Black  is  the  only  other  colour  mentioned,  and  that  in  only  a  few  instances. 
One  of  his  red  dogs  Hogg  calls  a  colley,  and  as  he  was  a  sheep  farmer  in 
a  very  large  way — one  anecdote  relating  to  the  straying  of  seven  hundred 
lambs,  and  another  to  the  purchase  of  a  lot  of  wild  black-faced  sheep — it  is 
worth  noting  that  he  gives  no  evidence  in  any  way  that  the  word  had  the 
slightest  connection  with,  or  that  there  was  any  such  name  as,  colley  for 
sheep. 

The  introduction  of  the  rough  collie  into  England,  outside  of  those  owned 


^^«i»sA»Xt«., 


348  The  Dog  Book 

by  farmers  in  the  Border  counties,  followed  the  development  of  railroad 
traffic;  and,  as  much  of  the  northern  trade  made  Birmingham  a  centre  for 
sale  purposes,  it  early  became  the  best-known  district  for  dogs  from  the 
north  country  as  far  as  the  Highlands.  London  was  a  market  for  sheep 
for  slaughter,  Birmingham  more  of  a  farmers'  market,  and  dogs  brought 
down  by  the  shepherds  found  a  sale  among  the  shepherds  and  farmers  of 
the  midland  counties.  We  can  say  that  the  collie  was  practically  unknown 
in  London  as  late  as  i860.  The  sheep  dogs  seen  there  were  mostly  the 
tucked-up-loin  smooths  with  no  tails,  as  shown  by  Bewick,  with  an 
occasional  wretched,  mud-and-rain-soaked,  bob-tailed  sheep  dog,  and  still 
more  infrequently  a  rough  collie,  usually  undersized  and  a  sorry  looking 
object.  These  all  went  under  the  name  of  drover's  dogs,  being  used  for 
either  sheep  or  cattle. 

The  first  volume  of  the  English  stud  book  fully  bears  out  our  own 
early  knowledge  of  the  conditions  prevailing  up  to  1868.  In  this  book 
there  are  seventy-eight  "sheep  dogs  and  Scotch  collies"  registered  up  to 
1874,  and  but  two  of  these  were  owned  as  far  south  as  London.  The 
majority  were  the  property  of  owners  living  in  Lancashire,  Warwickshire, 
Yorkshire  and  Nottinghamshire.  Fifteen  of  them  had  pedigrees,  only  three 
extending  beyond  sire  and  dam.  Mr.  H.  Lacy,  one  of  the  best  known  and 
most  respected  of  the  past  generation  of  Manchester  dog  fanciers,  and 
father  of  the  equally  well-known  and  respected  Mr.  H.  W.  Lacy,  of  Boston, 
was  then  the  leading  exhibitor  of  collies,  and  his  Champion  Mec  was  one 
of  the  most  typical  collies  of  his  time.  He  was  a  black  and  tan,  as  were 
most  of  the  dogs  of  that  day.  One  of  his  rivals  was  the  dog  Cockie,  a  red- 
coated  one;  and  Mr.  Charles  H.  Wheeler,  the  "father  of  the  Birmingham 
fancy,"  is  our  authority  for  saying  that  Cockie  was  the  dog  from  which  we 
got  the  sable  in  the  show  dogs. 

Mr.  Wheeler  most  kindly  consented,  when  asked  a  year  ago  to  con- 
tribute from  his  store  of  knowledge  of  the  old-time  dogs,  and  on  being 
reminded  more  recently  of  his  promise,  replied  that  he  was  writing  exactly 
what  we  had  asked  for  the  Illustrated  Kennel  News,  and  the  one  contribution 
should  do  for  both.  To  Mr.  Wheeler  we  are  also  indebted  for  most  of  the 
photographs  of  olden-time  collies,  including  that  remarkable  one  of  Cocksie, 
another  dog  from  Cockie,  which  in  the  printed  description  of  dog  and 
owner  is  specifically  stated  to  be  a  photograph  of  the  dog  himself.  It  has 
never  been  hitherto  published,  neither  has  that  of  Nesta,  which  we  owned. 


Rough-Coated  Collie  349 

as  we  also  did  her  sicter,  Floss,  who  died  within  a  few  days  of  her  arrival 
in  New  York,  when  heavy  in  whelp  to  Mr.  Boddington's  Rob  Roy  Mc- 
Gregor. 

The  article  on  old-time  collies  is  as  follows: 

Mr.  Wheeler  on  the   History  of  the   Collie 

"That  the  strains  of  the  majority  of  the  early  progenitors  of  our  collies, 
whose  pedigrees  are  in  obscurity,  emanated  from  Scotland,  and  that  their 
blood  is  traceable  to  the  pure  working  sheep  dog,  there  is  no  reason  to 
doubt.  When  the  breed  became  fashionable  as  household  pets,  and  classes 
were  provided  for  them  in  dog  shows,  undoubtedly  many  of  the  most 
handsome  specimens  were  obtained  from  the  north  region,  and  so  supplied 
the  material  that  founded  the  Warwickshire  strain,  which,  in  a  great  measure, 
forms  the  basis  of  the  pedigrees  of  all  collies  that  have  any  pretensions  to 
prize-winning  qualifications. 

"About  the  year  i860  classes  were  first  provided  for  sheep  dogs  at  the 
Birmingham  Show,  and  at  the  show 'in  1863  the  entries  numbered  six  only. 
However,  the  entries  steadily  increased  until  they  reached  as  many  as 
forty-five  at  the  show  held  in  Birmingham  in  1874,  and  it  was  about  this 
era  that  breeding  for  show  points  started  in  earnest,  more  especially  as 
applied  to  Birmingham  and  the  surrounding  district,  the  principal  breeders 
being  Mr.  M.  C.  Ashwin,  Mr.  J.  Bissell,  Mr.  W.  A.  Walker,  Mr.  D.  Tomlin- 
son,  Messrs.  W.  H.  and  J.  Charles,  and  the  writer. 

"At  this  period  collies  were  to  be  seen  of  almost  every  imaginable 
colour — buff,  red,  mottle  of  various  shades,  not  many  sables;  but  the 
commonest  of  all  colours  were  black,  tan  and  white,  black  and  white  (without 
tan),  and  what  are  now  called  blue  merle  but  were  then  known  as  tortoise- 
shell. 

"Of  the  names  of  the  old  progenitors,  the  first  to  claim  attention  is 
Old  Cockie,  a  grand  dog,  who  in  his  day  had  no  compeer,  although  occasion- 
ally in  the  show  ring  he  had  to  give  way  to  his  inferiors.  Besides  being 
a  handsome  show  dog,  he  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  capital  worker  with 
sheep. 

"Old  Cockie  was  born  in  the  year  1867,  and  was  the  winner  of  upward 
of  forty  prizes,  including  firsts  and  cups  at  Birmingham  and  Nottmgham 
two  years  In  succession,  the  Border  Counties*  Champion  Cup  at  Carlisle, 


350  The  Dog  Book 

and  the  Mayor  of  Maidstone's  Cup  at  the  Southern  Counties'  Show.  On 
August  19,  1875,  he  was  sold  by  auction  at  the  Midland  Counties'  Reposi- 
tory, Birmingham,  the  hammer  falling  to  the  bid  of  Mr.  D.  Tomlinson, 
who  in  a  short  time  afterward  sold  him  to  Mr.  J.  Bissell,  the  age  of  the  dog 
being  then  nine  years  or  thereabouts,  and  the  first  litter  begot  by  him  for 
this  owner  marked  the  commencement  of  the  show  success  of  the  Great 
Barr  Kennels. 

"Old  Cockie  was  a  medium-sized  dog,  as  compared  with  some  of  the 
giants  of  the  present  day,  very  compactly  built,  and  sound  in  legs  and  feet. 
His  head  was  consistent  in  length,  and  certainly  true  collie  in  type,  ears 
semi-erect,  coat  on  body  not  extra  long  but  very  dense,  being  well  supplied 
with  a  wet-resisting  undercoat,  and  the  habit  of  his  coat  was  such  that 
it  formed  a  distinct  mane  on  the  neck  and  a  cape  on  the  shoulders.  In 
colour  he  was  rich  sable,  with  white  markings,  and  it  is  an  absolute  fact 
that,  at  the  present  time,  every  collie  of  the  sable  colour  dates  back  to 
Old  Cockie  as  the  introducer  of  the  colour. 

"Carlyle,  who  was  bred  from  an  old  Scotch  strain  of  working  collies, 
came  from  Denbigh,  in  North  Wales,  and  was  first  exhibited  by  Mr.  Skid- 
more  by  the  name  of  Garryowen.  He  was  very  good  in  type  of  head, 
placement  of  eye,  and  collie  character;  was  likewise  good  in  coat  and  ears. 
In  colour  he  was  black-and-tan,  but,  being  heavily  marked  with  tan  similar 
to  a  bloodhound,  was  often  called  sable  colour.  His  greatest  sin,  however, 
was  an  overshot  mouth. 

"Mr.  W.  W.  Thomson  introduced  Marcus,  a  black-and-white  dog 
(without  tan),  bred  in  Scotland.  A  nice-headed  dog  this,  with  good  ears 
and  the  right  sort  of  coat.  Old  Mec  and  Old  Hero,  both  black-tan-and- 
white,  were  good-coated  dogs.  The  former  had  the  better-shaped  head  of  the 
two,  but,  being  very  dark  in  eye,  just  lacked  the  pleasing  collie  expression, 
whilst  the  latter's  head  was  wanting  in  character,  being  too  square  in  muzzle. 

"Mr.  S.  E.  Shirley  brought  out  several  black-tan-and-whites,  which 
were  bred  on  his  estate  in  Ireland,  and  they  met  with  success  on  the  show 
bench.  These  were  Tricolour,  Trefoil,  Hornpipe,  Hualakin  and  Tartan, 
and,  although  they  were  long-coated  animals,  there  was  a  distinct  taint  of 
the  setter  about  them,  more  especially  the  latter,  who  favoured  the  setter 
type  more  than  that  of  the  collie.  Nevertheless,  the  crossing  of  this  strain 
with  those  of  Old  Cockie  and  Old  Mec  proved  successful,  as  evidenced  by 
the  production  of  the  illustrious  Charlemagne. 


VERONA   SELECTION  OLD    HALL  ADMIRAL 

HEATHER   MINT 

SOME  AMERICAN  WINNERS-ALL   IMPORTED  EXCEPTING  ROSLYN  WILKES 


Rough-Coated  Collie  351 

"Tramp,  bred  in  Ireland,  was  a  good-coated  dog  of  a  red  colour,  a  bit 
sour  in  expression  and  weak  in  front  pins;  he  was  shown  at  the  Alexandra 
Palace  Show  in  1879  by  Mr.  Richardson  Carr. 

"At  the  Bristol  Show  held  in  October,  1879,  the  Rev.  Hans  F.  Hamilton 
put  in  competition  a  strong  team,  which  consisted  of  Angus,  Captain,  Jock, 
Tricolour  H.,  Eva,  Ruby  HI.,  and  a  litter  from  the  latter  by  Marcus, 
which  contained  Donald,  Zulu  Princess  and  Madge  I. 

"  Lufra,  who  was  bred  from  a  celebrated  working  strain  indigenous  to  the 
district  of  Blair  Athol,  mated  with  an  unshown  son  of  Old  Cockie,  produced 
Duncan,  a  dappled  sable  in  colour,  and  the  remainder  of  the  litter  were  blue 
merles.  Old  Bess,  black-tan-and-white,  was  true  collie  in  type,  very  intel- 
ligent, and  a  clever  worker  with  sheep.  From  the  union  of  her  with  Duncan 
the  issue  was  Lorna  Doon,  Nesta,  Floss,  Varna,  Bonnie  Laddie,  Druce,  and 
Malcolm  I.,  and  thus  the  Duncan-Bess  quality  strain  was  founded. 

"The  starting-point  of  Mr.  Bissell's  show  success  was  a  litter  by  Old 
Cockie  ex  Mr.  Ashwin's  Lassie,  which  produced  Clydesdale  and  Cocksie, 
both  winners  of  many  prizes.  Meg,  by  Old  Mec,  ex  Clyde,  visited  Old 
Cockie,  from  which  union  came  Maude,  a  short-legged  sable  bitch,  rather 
short  in  head,  yet  nice  in  expression.  This  bitch  was  bred  to  Tartan,  and 
produced  Lorna,  who  was  put  to  her  grandsire.  Old  Cockie,  and  produced 
Wolf.  The  next  litter  from  Maude  was  by  Trefoil,  and  contained  six, 
which  were  remarkable  for  their  dissimilitude  one  to  the  other.  The  star 
of  the  litter  was  Charlemagne,  a  beautifully  shaded  sable  with  showy  white 
markings,  whose  immense  coat  helped  to  give  him  a  very  attractive  appear- 
ance, but  he  was  built  on  cloddy  lines.  He,  however,  had  a  decent  head, 
and  although  his  ears  were  not  absolutely  pricked  there  was  only  a  slight 
suggestion  of  a  bend  at  the  extreme  tips.  Trevor,  another  sable-and-white, 
was  a  dog  of  distinctly  different  type  and  conformation;  head  a  fair  length, 
but  deep  in  muzzle  and  lippy;  ears  big,  and  carried  low,  was  well  furnished 
with  coat,  and  built  on  racing  lines;  his  very  gay  tail  carriage,  however, 
was  an  abomination.  Topper,  another  dog  with  heavy  ears,  in  colour 
black  with  rich  tan  markings,  had  a  long  coat,  but  in  head  and  general 
appearance  too  much  of  the  setter  type.  Bell,  a  black-tan-and-white  bitch 
with  one  prick  ear,  had  a  good  coat  and  not  a  bad  type  of  head.  Effie 
and  Flirt,  two  red  sable  bitches,  whose  superiority  lay  in  their  typical  heads, 
were  cloddy  in  build.  They,  however,  had  good  coats,  and  both  gained 
distinctions  in  the  show  ring. 


352  The  Dog  Book 

"Following  Charlemagne,  the  next  sensational  dog  to  be  produced 
was  Rutland,  a  black-and-tan,  bred  by  the  Rev.  Hans  F.  Hamilton.  He 
had  a  very  good  coat,  but  was  a  bit  on  the  small  side,  and  his  head  was  not 
long,  but  nice  in  shape  and  correct  in  expression,  and  his  ears  were  small 
and  carried  in  perfect  manner. 

"Being  by  Wolf  ex  Madge  I.,  Rutland  was  a  combination  of  the  blood 
of  Old  Mec,  Trefoil,  Old  Cockie  and  Marcus. 

"The  next  important  dog  to  make  history  was  Metchley  Wonder, 
a  nicely  marked  sable-and-white.  Just  a  nice-sized  dog,  not  too  big  nor 
yet  a  little  one,  excelling  in  body,  legs  and  feet,  he  possessed  a  beautiful 
coat  and  frill,  and  a  typical  head,  set  off  with  good  ears.  He  was  born 
in  March,  1886,  and  was  without  doubt  the  best  all-round  show  collie 
produced  up  to  the  date  of  his  initiation  to  the  show  ring.  In  analysing 
his  pedigree,  it  will  suffice  to  say  of  his  sire,  Sefton,  that  he  was  by  Charle- 
magne, out  of  Madge  I.,  whilst  on  his  dam's  side,  at  the  starting  point,  is 
Lassie,  by  Bailey's  Jack,  the  latter  a  winner  of  second  prize  at  Birmingham 
Show  in  1872.  Lassie  was  a  very  nice  blue  merle,  and  a  real  good  worker 
with  sheep.  She,  mated  with  Druce,  produced  Bonnie  Greta,  who,  mated 
with  Bonnie  Laddie,  produced  Catrine,  sable-and-white  (the  remainder  of 
the  litter  blue  merles),  who  was  mated  with  Loafer,  and  Minnie  was  the 
result.  Bonnie  Laddie  and  Druce,  being  both  by  Duncan  ex  Bess,  and 
Loafer's  granddam  being  Hasty,  by  Carlyle  ex  Glen,  fresh  blood  enters 
into  the  combination  at  this  point,  with  specimens  of  the  blue  merle  colour 
in  the  families  of  Duncan  and  Lassie. 

"Metchley  Wonder's  son,  Christopher,  was  the  next  sire  of  notoriety, 
but  it  cannot  be  said  that  a  change  of  blood  was  added  till  the  phenomenal 
sire  Edgbaston  Marvel  made  his  effort.  He  was  by  Christopher  ex  Sweet 
Marie,  the  latter  conveying  the  blood  of  Tramp,  through  Smuggler,  likewise 
the  blood  of  Old  Hero,  whilst  Yarrow  and  Comet  appear  in  the  pedigree 
of  Edgbaston  Marvel's  son,  Southport  Perfection.  At  the  starting  point 
of  the  pedigree  of  Mr.  Agnew's  strain  is  to  be  found  Scot,  who  belonged 
to  Mr.  Wright,  of  Birmingham.  Scot  was  never  shown,  albeit  a  truly 
characteristic  medium-sized  collie,  with  a  profuse  coat  and  a  most  typical 
head,  and  he  was  a  good  a  worker  with  sheep  as  he  was  handsome.  Being 
the  sire  of  Quicksilver,  he  was,  of  course,  grandsire  of  Molly  Swan.  Besides 
the  aforementioned,  Mr.  Arkwright's  blue  merle  strain,  as  well  as  a  host 
of  bitches  of  unknown  pedigrees,  mostly  obtained  from  shepherds,  enter 


CHAMPION    MAKCI  S 


r.LUE    PRIN'CKSS    ALKK 


CH,    ANFIELD    MODEL 


CH.   WELLESBOURNE   CHARLIE 


PORTINGTON   BAR  NONE  DONOVAN    II. 

A  STUDY  IN  HEADS,   FROM  MARCUS  TO  MODEL 


Rough-Coated  Collie  353 

into  the  composition,  so,  after  all  that  may  be  said  about  collies  being  in- 
bred, it  is  a  question  whether  or  not  they  suffer  as  much  from  the  probable 
effects  of  in-breeding  as  show  specimens  of  other  breeds. 

"Now,  with  regard  to  the  special  features  of  the  different  strains, 
undoubtedly  in  head  and  expression  claims  of  superiority  were  due  to  Old 
Cockie,  Duncan,  Bess,  and  Madge  L,  whilst  for  coat  the  strains  of  Charle- 
magne and  Smuggler  were  conspicuous. 

"Comparing  the  exhibition  collies  of  to-day  with  those  of  twenty-five 
years  ago,  a  distinct  improvement  is  manifest,  and  a  smaller  percentage  of 
worthless  mongrels  appear  on  the  show  bench. 

"The  great  improvement  so  apparent  in  legs  and  feet  is  really  remark- 
able, as  years  ago  weak  ankles  and  cowhocks  were  common  faults,  whereas 
to-day  they  are  rarely  in  evidence,  and  to  Metchley  Wonder  is  no  doubt 
due  the  advancement  in  that  direction. 

"Taking  the  general  average  of  specimens,  there  is  a  noticeable  im- 
provement in  coat,  but  still  there  is  a  tendency  to  the  lack  of  those  dis- 
tinguishing features — mane,  frill  and  cape — which  embellished  some  of  the 
old  favourites,  and  which  affords  an  admirable  background  to  set  off  the 
head  and  ears  of  a  collie.  But  how  many  exhibits  are  to  be  seen  nowadays 
with  the  hair  plucked  from  round  the  base  of  the  ears,  evidently  done  with 
the  idea  of  helping  the  animal's  appearance,  instead  of  which  the  opposite 
effect  is  produced,  and  the  ears  have  an  unnatural  appearance,  suggestive 
of  a  dog  recovering  from  skin  disease. 

"The  greatest  disparity  observable  is  in  type  of  head,  and,  to  a  great 
extent,  no  doubt  the  responsibility  is  traceable  to  Charlemagne;  for  although 
his  own  head  was  tolerable  in  shape,  other  members  of  his  family  were 
very  faulty  in  head  properties.  Charlemagne's  stock  was  very  unreliable 
in  type  and  colour,  some  coming  with  short  heads  and  big  eyes,  and  others 
dished-faced  and  Hppy,  most  erratic  as  regards  ears,  and  in  colour  many 
white  with  dark  markings  on  face  and  ears,  and  some  liver  and  white, 
similar  to  some  varieties  of  spaniels. 

"Years  ago,  many  collies  had  objectionable  light  eyes,  and  their 
introduction  came  through  Carlyle  with  specimens  of  the  mouse  colour, 
but  such  have  been  bred  out,  and  now  it  is  seldom  one  sees  a  collie  with 
eyes  approaching  lemon  colour.  The  colour  of  eye  that  most  suits  the 
expression  of  a  collie  is  a  deep  shade  of  hazel,  a  very  dark  eye  better  suiting 
the  expression  of  a  terrier. 


354  The  Dog  Book 

"Texture  of  coat  is  often  mentioned,  and  may  be  misunderstood  by 
novices.  Therefore  it  should  be  worthy  of  note  that  where  the  undercoat 
is  plentiful  the  outercoat  is  prevented  from  feeling  harsh  to  the  touch. 

"Then  there  is  the  question  of  size,  and  the  reason  why  the  craze  for 
extra  big  dogs  should  exist  can  only  be  attributed  to  the  fact  that  the  inestim- 
able value  of  the  work  this  breed  of  dog  should  be  capable  of  performing  on 
the  hills  is  being  lost  sight  of.  Collies  are  not  naturally  such  big,  heavy 
dogs  as  one  sometimes  reads  about,  or  they  would  be  too  cumbersome  to 
encounter  rough  mountain  work. 

"There  is  not  the  slightest  reason  why  collies  should  not  be  judged 
on  the  exact  lines  that  serve  to  suit  them  for  the  work  they  have  to  fulfil, 
because  general  appearance  need  not  be  sacrificed  thereby.  Therefore 
in  giving  due  consideration  to  the  important  working  qualities  of  this,  the 
most  useful  of  all  breeds  of  dogs,  an  additional  advantage  should  not  be 
given  to  exaggeration  in  size  (other  points  equal)  over  a  competitor  whose 
size  fits  him  for  the  work  of  a  sheep  dog. 

"It  is  often  said  that  a  good  big  one  can  beat  a  good  little  one,  but  it 
does  not  apply  in  the  case  of  a  sheep  dog's  work  on  the  mountain.  As  for 
instance,  with  the  sheep  trial  dog,  Ormskirk  Charlie,  by  Christopher,  no 
dog  could  display  a  better  exhibition  of  work  when  on  the  lowland,  but  he 
very  often  had  to  give  way  to  smaller  dogs  when  the  run  out  was  up  a 
mountain,  his  extra  size  and  weight  proving  a  disadvantage. 

"The  weights  given  below  of  some  of  the  dogs  that  took  part  in  laying 
the  foundation  of  our  present  strain  of  collies  will  serve  to  convey  an  idea  of 
the  natural  size  of  a  sheep  dog,  but  it  is  necessary  to  point  out  that  the 
animals  of  the  lighter  weights  were  in  working  condition:  Lufra,  30  pounds; 
Old  Bess,  28  pounds;  Lorna  Doon,  28  pounds;  Nesta,  28  pounds;  Bonnie 
Laddie,  44  pounds;  Druce,  44  pounds;  Malcom  I.,  49  pounds,  and  Loafer, 
49  pounds. 

"The  prevailing  characteristic  that  most  strongly  denotes  the  breed  of 
any  dog  is  the  head  and  expression,  and  in  the  typical  collie  these  features 
are  most  pronounced,  the  formation  of  head  and  placement  of  eye  rendering 
an  expression  peculiar  to  the  race  which  is  not  easy  to  describe.  Upward 
of  twenty  years  ago,  Mr.  J.  A.  Doyle  described  the  true  expression  of  a 
collie  as  being  a  mixture  of  "kindliness  and  craft,"  which  seems  as  near 
correct  as  possible.  Of  late  years  there  has  been  too  much  discussion  in 
favour  of  abnormal  length  of  head,  which  seemed  likely  to  have  the  per- 


O 
O 

Q 

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I 
H 

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Cm 

;?; 


Rough-Coated   Collie  355 

nicious  effect  of  forcing  some  foreign  concoction  to  displace  the  true  char- 
acteristic colHe,  but  quite  recently  has  been  most  gratifying  to  observe  that 
some  of  our  oldest  and  most  experienced  judges  have  awakened  to  the  fact, 
and  their  adjudications  have  pointed  conclusively  to  their  tenaciously 
keeping  to  the  correct  type,  to  the  exclusion  of  the  long,  untypical-headed 
brigade. 

"Some  difference  of  opinion  exists  as  to  the  capabilities  of  our  show 
breed  of  collies  for  the  work  of  a  sheep  dog,  but  doubt  need  not  intrude  on 
this  point,  for  it  is  a  safe  affirmation  that  hundreds  of  them  are  engaged  in 
that  occupation  all  over  the  country,  and  many  of  them  very  clever  per- 
formers. One  in  particular,  by  Edgbaston  Royal  ex  a  Tottington  Pilot 
bitch,  is  a  winner  on  the  show  bench  and  a  wonderfully  good  worker." 

We  can  fully  support  what  Mr.  Wheeler  says  as  to  the  working  capa- 
bilities of  show  collies.  When  we  were  breeding  from  the  Nesta  strain  at 
Philadelphia,  Charley  Raftery,  a  well-known  stockyards  drover,  always 
had  one  or  more  of  our  dogs  at  work,  and  these  included  our  best  prize 
winners.  More  recently  we  let  Mr.  W.  S.  McClintock,  of  Galva,  111.,  have 
Cavehill  Cardinal,  a  son  of  Parkhill  Pinnacle,  which  was  a  winner  at  the 
Collie  Club  and  New  York  shows  of  two  years  ago.  When  we  wanted  him 
East  six  months  later,  the  manager  at  Mr.  McClintock's  farm  told  him 
the  dog  did  two  men's  work  on  the  place  and  positively  refused  to  let  him 
go,  so  Mr.  McClintock  bought  him.  Then  we  sent  him  an  old  Parkhill 
Squire  bitch  that  did  not  know  anything  about  sheep,  and  Cardinal  taught 
her  in  a  few  weeks  nearly  all  he  knew.  Finally  we  left  Lady  Pink  with 
Mr.  McClintock  when  we  took  her  to  the  Chicago  Show,  and  it  is  only  a 
few  days  ago  that  we  got  a  letter  from  Galva  in  which  Pink  is  mentioned 
as  being  in  good  health  and  proving  herself  a  first-class  stock  dog. 

Although  collies  were  shown  at  the  Centennial  Show  and  at  those 
held  in  New  York,  Boston  and  elsewhere  prior  to  1880,  they  were  a  very 
ordinary  lot  of  dogs,  and  with  strange  descriptions  as  to  ancestry,  when  they 
had  any  at  all.  One  shown  at  New  York  in  1878  laid  claim  to  the  proud 
distinction  of  having  been  "imported  from  Arabia,"  and  another  was 
stated  to  have  come  from  Queen  Victoria's  kennels,  Balmoral.  They 
had  very  little  pedigree,  but  some  made  up  for  that  by  considerable  weight, 
for  weights  were  given  on  the  entry  forms  in  those  days.  One  dog  named 
Rover  was  given  as  ninety-five  pounds  and  thirty-eight  months  of  age. 
Another  was  seventy-four  pounds,  and  from  that  they  ran  down  to  forty 


356  The  Dog  Book 

pounds.  Twelve  of  the  nineteen  entered  at  New  York  in  1878  were  black- 
and-tan,  four  were  tricolours,  one  black  and  white  and  one  described  as 
brown  and  white.  Mr.  Jenkins  Van  Schaick,  who  was  the  Collie  Club's 
only  president  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  was  an  exhibitor,  as  were  Doctor 
Downey  and  Mr.  Lindsay,  names  well  known  in  later  years. 

Mr.  Allen  S.  Apgar,  who  joined  the  list  of  exhibitors  in  1879,  was  the 
first  to  take  a  decided  lead,  and  he  imported  quite  a  number  of  dogs  that 
were  very  successful;  indeed  it  is  to  Mr.  Apgar  we  owe  the  first  impetus 
given  to  collie  importing  and  showing  in  this  country.  It  was  owing  to  his 
winning  in  1879  that  Mr.  Lindsay  decided  to  import  a  dog  for  New  York 
in  1880,  and  as  we  were  returning  to  this  country  in  the  spring  of  1880 
Doctor  James,  a  noted  collie  man  of  Kirkby-Lonsdale,  upon  hearing  of  this, 
asked  us  to  take  out  a  collie.  This  proved  to  be  Mr.  Lindsay's  purchase, 
which  he  named  Rex.  We  received  the  dog  at  Liverpool,  and  even  now 
we  recall  our  surprise  that  any  person  should  take  the  trouble  of  importing 
such  an  insignificant-looking  dog.  He  was  a  black  and  tan  like  his  sire, 
Carlyle,  and  was  anything  but  an  impressive  dog,  and  none  too  good  in 
ears  or  tail  carriage.  The  description  we  are  now  giving  is  our  impression 
at  the  time,  after  having  been  pretty  well  conversant  with  the  run  of  dogs 
at  the  English  shows,  and  for  the  purpose  of  giving  some  idea  as  to  the 
strength  of  the  classes  here.  Rex  won  at  the  New  York  Show  a  few  weeks 
after  his  arrival,  and  was  very  much  the  best  dog  in  the  show,  so  that  Mr. 
Lindsay's  investment  of  five  pounds  turned  out  a  very  profitable  one. 
Mr.  Apgar  had  also  imported  a  few  dogs  for  the  show,  and  so  had  Doctor 
Downey,  but  Rex  beat  them  fairly,  and  he  seemed  to  improve  after  that, 
for  he  was  able  to  do  quite  a  little  winning  for  several  years. 

Sable  dogs  began  to  be  imported,  and  they  were  variously  described, 
some  as  tortoise-shell,  and  one  a  lemon  and  white,  according  to  the  cata- 
logues. Among  the  first  was  Lass  o'  Gowrie,  owned  by  Doctor  Downey, 
who  was  much  the  best  of  her  sex  at  that  time.  Her  kennel  mate,  Tweed  H., 
a  big,  coarse  dog,  defeated  Rex  at  New  York  in  1881,  but  Mr.  Lindsay  still 
had  the  best  dog  of  the  show  in  his  newly  imported  Ayreshire  Laddie,  a 
grandson  of  Lacy's  Old  Mec.  This  was  a  larger  dog  than  Rex  and  more 
of  a  collie.  Mr.  Apgar  had  also  got  a  new  one  in  Nelson,  but  he  was  not 
so  good  as  Ayreshire  Laddie,  and  Mr.  Apgar  tried  again  and  got  Marcus,  a 
big  winner  in  England.  We  have  seen  it  stated  that  Mr.  W.  W.  Thompson, 
who  showed  Marcus  in  England,  is  still,  or  was  up  to  a  few  years  ago,  of 


Rough-Coated  Collie  357 

the  opinion  that  Marcus  was  the  best  collie  he  ever  saw.  We  do  not  believe 
he  ever  said  any  such  thing,  for  Marcus  was  nothing  so  very  wonderful. 
We  judged  him  at  Pittsburg  in  1882  and  gave  him  first,  but  he  had  nothing 
to  beat,  and  at  New  York  he  had  no  opposition  in  the  champion  class. 
There  was  a  good  sable  at  this  show,  the  best  collie  in  the  country  up  to  that 
time — Mr.  Van  Schaick's  Guido.  He  was  a  little  timid  about  throwing 
his  ears  forward,  but  he  would  do  so  now  and  again.  Guido  was  the  first 
dog  in  this  country  that  showed  quality.  Mr.  John  W.  Burgess,  who 
was  for  a  year  or  two  very  prominent  at  New  York  shows,  bought  Guido 
a  year  later  for  the  very  moderate  sum  of  ;^  150,  after  he  had  defeated  Marcus 
at  the  Washington  Show  of  1883.  Guido  sired  very  few  puppies,  but  Marcus 
left  quite  a  number,  and  almost  every  one  of  them  was  lop  eared.  You 
could  pick  out  the  Marcus  puppies  as  soon  as  you  saw  those  ears.  There 
was  one  good  one,  however,  and  that  was  Zulu  Princess,  a  bitch  bred  in 
England  by  the  Rev.  Hans  F.  Hamilton  out  of  that  grand  bitch  Ruby  HI.,  to 
whom  she  undoubtedly  owed  her  good  looks,  as  she  was  the  only  good  one 
by  Marcus  ever  in  this  country.  Mr.  Thomas  H.  Terry  owned  her,  and 
he  had  also  bought  the  best  of  Mr.  Apgar's  and  Doctor  Downey's  kennels, 
to  which  he  also  added  Robin  Adair  and  a  beautiful-headed  sister  to  the 
great  Charlemagne,  named  Effie.  We  judged  at  New  York  when  Effie  was 
first  shown,  but  she  was  shown  outrageously  fat,  otherwise  she  could  not 
have  been  beaten.  Robin  Adair  won  many  prizes,  but  he  was  far  from 
being  a  good  dog,  and  after  he  had  been  shown  at  Washington  he  cast  his 
coat  and  never  got  a  top  coat  again.  He  should  not  have  beaten  Guido  or 
Rex  as  he  did  that  year  at  New  York.  He  was  largely  bred  to,  but  got 
nothing  of  any  merit,  and  to  most  of  them  he  gave  his  yellow  eye.  Mr.  Van 
Schaick,  through  his  son-in-law,  Mr.  Dockrill,  of  London,  continued  to 
get  well-bred  dogs  from  time  to  time,  but  not  quite  good  enough  to  win. 
They  were  therefore  neglected  by  breeders,  though  such  dogs  as  Darnley, 
a  dog  close  up  to  the  prepotent  Duncan-Bess  cross,  and  Sable  by  Charle- 
magne out  of  Minx,  ought  to  have  produced  far  better  collies  than  Robin 
Adair,  Rex  or  the  pedigreeless  Marcus.  It  is  easier,  however,  to  look 
back  and  say  what  might  and  should  have  been  done  than  it  was  to 
decide  at  the  time. 

It  was  at  this  period  that  Charlemagne's  great  son,  Eclipse,  was  having 
such  a  successful  career  in  England  and  siring  so  many  good  puppies,  and 
of  course  our  importers  followed  along  the  winnmg  Ime.    The  first  to  arrive 


358  The  Dog  Book 

was  the  bitch  Meta,  in  whelp  to  Eclipse,  and  she  was  followed  by  Nesta,  in 
a  similar  condition.  From  Meta  came  Ben  Nevis,  bought  as  a  puppy  by 
Mr.  Shotwell,  and  Lady  of  the  Lake.  Ben  Nevis  was  a  large,  sable  dog, 
rather  smutty  in  colour,  and  in  that  respect  Lady  of  the  Lake  was  much 
better.  Nesta  came  to  our  kennels,  and  in  this  litter  there  was  one  beautiful 
bitch,  Clipsetta,  for  which  we  refused  the  high  offer,  for  those  days,  of 
;^200,  only  to  have  her  killed  when  a  year  old  by  two  bob-tails  who,  starting 
a  fight  between  themselves,  turned  on  Clipsetta  and  never  left  her  till  she 
was  lifeless.  Thinking  to  show  our  confidence  in  the  man  at  whose  kennels 
this  happened,  we  sent  him  Nesta,  and  one  of  the  bob-tails  broke  out  of  her 
own  kennel  of  inch  boards,  got  into  Nesta's,  and  killed  her.  The  bob-tails 
cost  ^25  for  the  two. 

A  sister  to  Clipsetta,  named  Mavis,  was  the  dam  of  a  very  fine  young 
dog  named  Glenlivat,  which  also  met  with  misfortune,  being  run  over 
by  a  train,  so  that  bad  luck  did  not  run  singly  in  our  effort  to  perpetuate 
this  line  of  collies.  There  were  two  Eclipse-Nesta  litters,  as  she  was  sent 
back  to  England  after  her  first  litter  and  bred  to  Eclipse  again  and  from 
the  second  litter  came  the  champions  CHpper  and  Glengarry.  Mr.  Van 
Schaick  also  got  a  son  of  Eclipse  and  old  Flurry,  named  Strephon,  and 
to  this  dog  Mavis  threw  Glenlivat,  which  Mr.  Mason  criticised  as 
"undoubtedly  one  of  the  grandest  young  dogs  we  have  seen." 

All  of  these  that  were  by  Eclipse  or  his  descendants  were  sable-and- 
white  dogs,  and  they  completely  settled  the  pretensions  of  all  the  black 
and  tans.  At  the  Newark,  N.  J.,  show  of  1886  the  Meta  and  Nesta  litters 
accounted  for  most  of  the  prizes,  and  they  did  well  at  New  York  also,  where 
the  Hempstead  farm  dogs  won  many  prizes;  it  being  this  kennel's  last 
big  winning,  for  Mr.  Harrison  then  took  up  the  breed  and  swept  all  before 
him.  At  this  time  we  had  a  few  of  the  get  of  Rutland,  who  was  Eclipse's 
great  rival  in  England,  but  this  strain  did  not  last  with  us.  They  were 
very  heavily  coated  dogs,  but  spongy,  and  in  place  of  repelling  the  rain 
they  became  water  soaked,  the  coat  separating  along  the  back  as  in  a 
Yorkshire  terrier.  There  was  also  a  lack  of  size  in  many  of  them,  and 
Rutland  himself  was  not  a  large  dog,  though  our  opportunity  for  seeing 
him  was  too  brief  and  unsatisfactory  as  to  surroundings  to  warrant 
any  definite  description  beyond  saying  that  he  was  fine  in  head  and 
gave  that  property  to  some  of  his  puppies  shown  in  this  country, 
but   they  did   not   compare  favourably  with   the   Eclipse   collies;   and   it 


PARK  HIT, I,   PERFECTION 


KING   EDWARD   VII. 


RIPPOWAM    BO    PEEP 


F,AI, MORAL   DUCHESS 


WINNETKA  BALLYARNETT  ECLIPSE  HEACHAM   GALOPIN 

AN  INTERNATIONAL  PAGE— ENGLAND,  SCOTLAND,  CANADA,  UNITED  STATES 


Rough-Coated  Collie  359 

is  singular  to  say,  but  nevertheless  a  fact,  that,  notwithstanding  the  ex- 
ceedingly large  number  of  puppies  by  these  two  dogs,  that  were  not 
only  bred  but  were  exhibited  and  won  many  prizes,  they  produced  no 
dog  to  carry  on  the  family  in  the  male  line.  We  will  refer  to  this 
subject  later,  and  now  return  to  the  record  of  the  collie  in  America, 
which  we  had  carried  up  to  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Mitchell  Harrison 
as  a  competitor  in  1886. 

Mr.  Harrison  originated  the  Chestnut  Hill  Kennel,  which  was  sub- 
sequently transferred  to  Mr.  Jarrett,  who  still  uses  the  building,  which 
was  the  first  erected  in  this  country  with  any  pretensions  to  being  any  more 
than  a  place  for  dogs  to  sleep  in.  After  dabbling  in  a  few  purchases  of 
some  rather  common  American-bred  stock,  Mr.  Harrison  purchased, 
when  in  England  in  the  winter  of  1885-6,  a  dog  called  Nullamore,  a  brother 
to  Dublin  Scot,  and  a  few  bitches.  The  dog  was  sent  to  the  New  York 
Show,  but  not  exhibited,  and  as  this  purchase  was  not  satisfactory  he  then 
got  Dublin  Scot  and  that  good  bitch  Flurry  H.,  and  expected  to  sweep  the 
decks,  only  to  find,  just  before  the  important  show  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  in 
1887,  that  Mr.  Van  Schaick  had  imported  two  sons  of  the  Chestnut  Hill 
importations,  which  were  named  Scotilla  and  Scotson,  and  the  latter  could 
beat  Dublin  Scot.  To  win  it  was  necessary  to  buy  them,  and  the  two 
new  dogs  changed  owners  before  the  show  opened.  It  was  a  very  strong 
class  of  collies  at  that  show.  Scot  was  not  shown  in  the  class  competitions, 
and  in  open  dogs  Scotilla  won  from  his  brother;  we  came  third  with  Clipper, 
of  the  second  Eclipse-Nesta  litter;  Nullamore  was  fourth;  Glenlivat,  reserve; 
and  Glengarry,  reserve.  The  latter  had  won  the  special  for  the  best  in  the 
show  at  New  York  the  previous  year,  and  was  a  litter  brother  to  Clipper. 
The  reason  Glenlivat  got  so  low  down  was  owing  to  an  accident  two  days 
before  the  show  opened,  the  dog  being  run  over  and  badly  cut  below  one 
of  his  hocks.  At  the  show  we  were  kept  so  busy  fighting  off  accusations  of 
fraudulent  pedigree,  and  attending  meetings,  that  we  had  no  opportunity 
to  massage  the  dog's  leg,  and  on  being  ordered  into  the  ring  he  walked  lame. 
There  were  two  judges,  and  they  began  with  a  consultation  as  to  what  to 
do  with  the  lame  dog,  finally  deciding  to  give  him  the  reserve  card  and  let 
him  go  back  to  his  bench,  the  judging  then  proceeding  without  him.  It 
was  a  costly  accident  to  us,  for  he  was  in  the  sweepstakes,  the  first  prize 
of  which  amounted  to  $250,  and  we  had  to  be  content  with  ^50,  even  although 
by  the  time  that  prize  was  judged  the  dog  showed  not  the  slightest  lameness. 


360  The  Dog  Book 

He  was  certainly  a  wonderful  puppy,  and  as  a  collie  was  far  ahead  of  any 
dog  at  the  show.  This  we  say  with  the  full  knowledge  that  Scotilla  won 
many  prizes,  but  we  never  considered  him  a  good,  true-type  collie.  Dublin 
Scot  was  a  large,  strong  dog,  also  deficient  in  character  and  lacking  in  the 
attractiveness  seen  in  Scotilla,  who  was  undoubtedly  a  very  taking  dog, 
but  he  was  not  collie  in  expression,  was  light  in  bone  and  not  right  behind. 
To  show  our  opinion  on  Scotilla's  rank  as  a  collie,  we  will  repeat  a  story 
we  have  previously  put  in  print.  On  one  occasion,  being  asked  to  attend 
to  a  service  by  Dublin  Scot,  or  failing  that  to  make  our  own  selection  of  a 
dog  at  the  kennels,  we  went  up  from  Germantown  to  Chestnut  Hill,  and, 
there  being  a  failure  to  get  Scot,  we  had  to  choose.  Mr.  Jarrett  said  that 
he  supposed  we  would  take  Scotilla,  but  we  asked  to  have  Charleroi  H. 
brought  out  as  well,  and  we  selected  the  latter.  To  prove  that  our  opinion 
was  not  out  of  the  way  at  all  we  can  add  that  when  Mr.  Harrison  purchased 
Christopher  in  England  he  sent  Dublin  Scot  and  Charleroi  over  to  Mr. 
Stretch,  that  being  part  of  the  deal.  Mr.  Stretch  at  once  got  rid  of  Scot 
and  kept  Charleroi,  eventually  selling  him  to  Mr.  J.  A.  Long,  of  St.  Louis. 
His  fault  was  slovenly  ear  carriage,  but  outside  of  that  he  was  a  good  collie 
and  the  best  in   the  Chestnut  Hill  Kennels  till  Christopher  was  imported. 

It  has  been  customary  to  accord  to  Charlemagne  every  honour  that 
can  be  given  a  dog  for  individuality  and  for  power  to  improve  his  breed, 
but  it  is  to  Christopher  that  collies  owe  their  great  improvement  when  one 
resorts  to  pedigrees  as  proof.  Professor  Bohannan  two  years  ago  made 
a  most  thorough  investigation  into  the  subject  of  collie  breeding,  and  the 
results  he  arrived  at  were  that  with  the  exception  of  the  dogs  of  twenty-five 
years  ago,  which  figured  in  his  tables  of  great  sires,  these  great  sires  were 
the  produce  of  dogs  averaging  two  years  and  two  months  of  age,  and  that  a 
very  large  number  were  from  sires  under  eighteen  months  of  age. 

To  more  thoroughly  understand  the  dge  table,  that  of  the  ancestral 
tree  of  the  leading  collie  strains  must  be  studied,  and  it  is  even  more 
remarkable  in  what  it  sets  forth  than  the  age  table.  This  table 
was  made  two  years  ago,  and  the  only  alteration  that  Professor 
Bohannan  would  be  likely  to  make  would  be  the  lopping  off  of  the 
Donovan  H.  line  coming  through  Balgreggie  Hope,  and  we  doubt  if 
he  could  name  any  standard  successor  of  Ellwyn  Astrologer,  so  that 
if  these  two  were  eliminated  we  would  be  reduced  to  the  lines  tracing 
to  Christopher. 


Rough-Coated  Collie  361 

These  tables  are  as  follows: 

The  Great  Collie  Sires  and  the  Ages  of  Sires  when  these 

Sons  were  Gotten 

AGE 
YRS.  MOS.  SIRE  SON 

5     8 Trefoil General  Trefoil 

5     7 Trefoil Charlemagne 

5     7 Charlemagne Sefton 

5     3 General  Trefoil Sir  James 

3   II Sefton  Hero Guy  Mannering 

3     g Wellesbourne  Conqueror Parbold   Piccolo 

3     8 Metchley  Wonder Donovan  II 

3     4 Sir  James Gladdie 

3     3 Edgbaston  Marvel Southport  Perfection 

3     2 Heather  Ralph " Ormskirk  Emerald 

2   10 Christopher Ormskirk  Chriss 

2     6 Stracathro  Ralph Heather  Ralph 

2     6 Guy  Mannering Ellwyn  Astrologer 

2     3 Old  Hall  Blucher Balgreggie  Hope 

2     3 Gladdie ' Sefton  Hero 

2     2 Finsbury  Pilot Rightaway 

2     o Rufford  Ormonde Finsbury  Pilot 

2     o Rightaway Woodmansterne  Tartan 

2     o Bay  Regent Old  Hall  Blucher 

2     0 Southport  Perfection Wellesbourne  Councillor 

I   II Donovan  II Bay  Regent 

I     5 Ormskirk  Emerald Ormskirk  Galopin 

I     3 Sefton Metchley  Wonder 

I     3 Heacham  Galopin Wishaw  Clinker 

I     2 Christopher Stracathro  Ralph 

I     2 Christopher Edgbaston  Marvel 

I     I Ormskirk  Galopin Heacham  Galopin 

I     o Ormskirk  Chriss RufFord  Ormonde 

I     o Rightaway Barwell  Masterpiece 

O  II Metchley  Wonder Christopher 

o  10 Wellesbourne  Councillor Wellesbourne  Conqueror 


362 


The  Dog  Book 


Average  for  all  sires,  2  years  7  months.  Omitting  the  old-timers, 
Trefoil,  Charlemagne  and  General  Trefoil,  on  whom  stud  service  was 
comparatively  light,  we  have  as  the  average  age  for  modern  sires,  2  years, 
2  months. 


THE  ANCESTRAL  TREE  OF  THE  LEADING  COLLIE  STRAINS. 


TREFOIL 

(March  19,  1873) 

I 


Charlemagne 
(Jan.  4,  1879) 

Sefton 
(Oct.  10,  1884) 

Metchley  Wonder 
(Mar.  2,  1886) 


Christopher 
(April  16,  1887) 


Stracathro  Ralph 
(Sept.  I,  1888) 

Heather  Ralph 
(April  19,  1891) 

Ormskirk  Emerald 
(Sept.  3,  1894) 

Ormskirk  Galopin 
(April  I,  1896) 

Heacham  Galopin 
(July  5,  1897) 

Wishaw  Clinker 
(Dec.  6,  1898) 


Edgbaston  Marvel 
(Sept.  I,  1888) 

Southport  Perfec- 
tion 
(Feb.  19,  1892) 

I 
Wellesbourne 

Councillor 
(April  II,  1894) 

Wellesbourne 

Conqueror 
(April  16,  1895) 

Parbold  Piccolo 
(April  3,  1899) 


Ormskirk  Chriss 

(April  4,  1890) 

I 

Rufford  Ormonde 
(June  2,  I 891) 

Finsbury  Pilot 
(Aug.  8,  1893) 

I 

Rightaway 

(Nov.  27,  1895) 


Donovan  II 
(Jan.  12,  1890) 

I 

Bay  Regent 

(March  i,  1892) 

Old  Hall  Blucher 

(May  IS,  1894) 

I 

Balgreggie  Hope 
(Oct.  19,  1896) 


General  Trefoil 
(Dec.  21,  1878) 

I 

Sir  James 

(May  IS,  1884) 

Gladdie 
(Nov.  19,  1887) 

Sefton  Hero 
(April  7,  1890) 

I 
Guy  Mannering 
(May  12,  1894) 

Ellwyn  Astrologer 
(Jan.  26,  1897) 


Barwell 

Masterpiece 
(Feb.  7,  1897) 


Woodmansterne 

Tartan 
(Feb.  14,  1898) 


The  deduction  which  the  compiler  of  these  statistics  reached  was  that 
the  same  law  which  governs  in  thoroughbred  horses  and  in  the  trotting 
family  ruled  in  dogs:  that  there  is  one  supreme  sire-power  source,  and  but  a 
few  dam-power  sources,  the  proof  of  the  latter  conclusion  being  that  of  the 
thirty  dogs  named  in  these  tables  nineteen  trace  back  to  six  bitches — 
Merry  Fan,  Old  Hall  Vera,  Pepita,  Parbold  Dolly,  Sweet  Lassie,  and 
Ruby  III.  Astrologer  traces  to  the  dam  of  Charlemagne,  and  Wellesbourne 
Councillor  to  a  sister  to  General  Trefoil. 


GETTING   READY   FOR    IHE   SHOW  RING 


Rough-Coated  Collie  363 

Unfortunately  the  information  obtained  from  these  tables  is  of  no 
use  to  the  collie  breeder,  for  it  is  not  till  many  years  after  the  work  has  been 
done  that  it  is  possible  to  trace  back  through  the  many  lines  that  which 
is  the  governing  one.  This  is  what  we  meant  when,  in  speaking  of  the 
large  number  of  puppies  sired  by  Eclipse  and  Rutland,  we  said  they  pro- 
duced nothing  in  the  male  line  that  continued  to  produce.  Even  more 
remarkable  than  the  failure  of  these  two  in  this  respect  are  Mr.  Megson's 
great  dogs  Ormskirk  Emerald  and  Southport  Perfection.  They  sired 
thousands  of  puppies,  yet  we  only  reach  each  one  of  them  through  one  son 
when  it  comes  to  the  highest-quality  dogs.  All  we  can  hope  to  do  is  to 
breed  good-looking  dogs,  but  which  one  of  the  many  crack  dogs  of  the  day 
will  eventually  be  entitled  to  be  incorporated  in  the  line  of  producing  sires 
we  will  not  know  for  ten  or  maybe  twenty  years,  and  it  need  not  worry  us 
at  the  present  time. 

As  it  is  not  the  intention  to  go  into  the  question  of  breeding,  the  tables 
are  introduced  at  this  point  to  illustrate  what  a  wonderful  dog  Christopher 
was.  He  was  sired  by  Metchley  Wonder  when  the  latter  was  eleven  months 
old,  and  in  turn  got  his  two  great  sons  when  he  was  fourteen  months  old; 
both  of  these  sons,  out  of  different  dams,  being  born  on  the  same  day. 
Christopher's  influence  in  America  was  nil,  but  in  extenuation  of  his  leaving 
no  worthy  posterity  here  it  should  be  stated  that  he  had  no  brood  bitches 
worth  the  name  as  producers,  and  it  is  only  in  quite  recent  years  that 
we  have  gradually  worked  up  to  the  position  of  having  soundly  bred 
bitches;  with  most  gratifying  results  in  the  way  of  vastly  improved  puppy 
classes. 

Another  good  dog  imported  by  Mr.  Harrison  was  The  Squire,  a  very 
shapely  dog,  with  a  good  head,  but  as  he  never  had  enough  coat  when  in 
England  he  naturally  failed  to  improve  in  that  essential  when  here.  The 
one  dog  that  might  be  cited  in  opposition  to  our  statement  that  Scotilla 
sired  nothing  wonderful  was  Roslyn  Wilkes,  who  came  out  in  1890  and 
was  very  successful  for  some  time.  He  was  bred  by  Mr.  Pierpont  Morgan 
out  of  Bertha,  the  dam  of  Bendigo,  but  was  shown  by  Mr.  Harrison  and 
was  decidedly  the  best  American  bred  of  his  day,  but  his  head  did  not  last. 
Other  good  dogs  owned  at  Chestnut  Hill  were  Maney  Trefoil  and  Welles- 
bourne  Charlie,  which  with  Christopher  and  a  number  of  bitches  passed 
into  the  possession  of  Mr.  Jarrett  when  Mr.  Harrison  retired.  Maney 
Trefoil  was  sold  to  a  Denver  lady,  and  The  Squire  and  a  few  others  were 


364  The  Dog  Book 

bought  by  Mr.  Sauveur,  of  Chestnut  Hill,  who  exhibited  in  the  name  of 
Seminole   Kennels. 

Mr.  Pierpont  Morgan  now  became  more  prominently  connected  with 
the  breed,  and  Mr.  Terry  also  started  in  again,  so  that  Mr.  Harrison's 
withdrawal  was  not  noticeable  in  the  matter  of  support  at  shows.  Some 
importations  were  going  on  all  the  time,  but  it  was  not  until  Mr.  Morgan 
got  Sefton  Hero  that  we  had  one  of  high  rank.  Taking  this  dog  for  all- 
round  qualities,  it  is  doubtful  if  there  has  been  a  better  one  at  Cragston. 
The  English  judge,  Mr.  Taylor,  put  RufFord  Ormonde  over  him  at  New 
York  in  1895,  with  RufFord  Ormonde  lame  from  an  accident,  but  he  also 
put  Christopher  back  to  third  in  the  veteran's  class,  so  we  did  not  rank 
him  high  as  a  collie  judge.  Sefton  Hero  was  full  of  character  and  ex- 
pression, while  his  coat  was  of  the  very  best  texture,  and  he  lasted  till 
grey  with  age.  Mr.  Morgan  also  got  some  good  bitches,  and  his  Chorlton 
Phyllis  won  many  prizes,  besides  rendering  herself  famous  as  the  dam  of  the 
remarkable  "Ornament  litter,"  so  named  because  of  the  great  success  of 
Ornament.  There  were  four  winners  in  this  litter,  if  we  remember  correctly, 
including  that  grand  dog,  Masterpiece,  that  died  of  distemper  contracted 
at  the  New  York  Show,  where  Mr.  Astley  gave  him  four  firsts.  A  number 
of  new  exhibitors  took  hold  of  collies  at  this  time,  and  in  1898  the  Verona 
Kennels,  of  California,  had  much  success  with  Old  Hall  Admiral,  Heather 
Mint  and  others.  Messrs.  Black  and  Hunter,  of  Harrisburg,  also  made  a  suc- 
cessful start,  and  did  much  good  m  the  way  of  getting  a  great  many  Western 
persons  interested  in  the  breed.  Indeed,  a  few  years  later,  during  the  time 
Mr.  Morgan  was  not  exhibiting,  it  may  be  said  that  Chicago  became  the 
centre  of  the  American  collie  world,  and  important  purchases  followed  each 
other  with  startling  rapidity,  so  that,  with  three  champions,  Rightaway, 
Wellesbourne  Conqueror  and  Parbold  Piccolo  and  Heacham  Galopin  in 
Chicago  and  Milwaukee,  the  star  of  the  collie  empire  was  certainly  travelling 
westward.  Mr.  Behling,  of  Milwaukee,  bought  Conqueror,  Piccolo  and 
a  large  number  of  high-class  bitches.  Doctor  McNab  bought  Rightaway 
and  had  also  Alton  Monty,  a  dog  imported  and  exhibited  successfully  by 
Black  and  Hunter.  The  Winnetka  Kennels  also  got  Ballyarnett  Eclipse, 
an  exceedingly  good  dog  which  had  a  winning  career  in  the  East  the  year 
he  came  out.  Other  good  buyers  in  the  West  were  Mr.  Lepman,  Mr. 
Brown  and  Mr.  Gardner,  all  of  Chicago,  who  are  still  very  prominent  in 
the  breed.     Mr.  Gardner  imported  some  of  the  first  of  the  Piccolo  line,  and 


Rough-Coated  Collie  365 

also  got  over  Heacham  Galopin,  the  sire  of  Wishaw  Clinker.  The  good 
done  for  collies  in  this  country  through  the  enterprise  and  rivalry  of  these 
Western  exhibitors  cannot  be  fully  estimated,  but  we  had  a  foretaste  of 
what  it  may  amount  to  through  the  successes  of  a  few  Western-bred  collies 
in  very  strong  competition  this  year,  a  young  bitch  bred  by  Mr.  Lepman 
and  shown  by  Mr.  Trench  as  Thorndale  Baroness  being  a  deservedly 
large  winner. 

In  the  East  we  have  had  the  return  of  Mr.  Morgan  as  an  exhibitor, 
an  event  he  signalised  by  purchasing  the  great  English  winner,  Wishaw 
Clinker,  from  Mr.  Tait,  of  Scotland,  and  Ormskirk  Olympian  from  Mr. 
Stretch,  Mr.  Raper  judged  them  at  New  York  in  1904  and  placed  them  in 
the  order  named,  but  the  opinion  of  our  leading  authorities  on  collies  was 
that  Ormskirk  Olympian  should  have  won;  that  is  how  we  would  have 
placed  them,  and  considered  it  a  somewhat  easy  win.  It  was  a  great  day 
for  the  Clinkers  at  that  show,  as  his  daughters,  Brandane  Ethel  and 
Rippowam  Revelation,  were  the  leading  winners  throughout  the  bitch 
classes,  after  Moreton  Hebe.  Mr.  Morgan's  rival  is  now  Mr.  Samuel 
Untermeyer,  and  not  content  with  some  very  nice  American-bred  collies, 
with  Breadalbane  and  Faugh  a  Ballagh  as  leaders,  he  has  also  made 
some  important  purchases  abroad  and  has  in  Southport  Sculptor  an  extra 
high-class  dog. 

Other  exhibitors  in  the  metropolitan  district  are  Mr.  M.  Mowbray 
Palmer,  the  president  of  the  Collie  Club,  whose  prefix  of  Rippowam  is  well 
known;  Mr.  Preston,  Mr.  Lindsay,  of  the  Lindsays  whose  names  go  back 
to  the  early  show  days;  Mr.  Buckle,  Mr.  Hall,  Mr.  Mayhew  and  Mr. 
Geraghty.  Philadelphia  has  also  a  strong  collie  clan  and  a  club  of  its 
own,  and,  although  Doctor  Jarrett  seems  to  have  retired  from  exhibiting, 
there  are  many  good  fanciers,  such  as  Messrs.  Kain,  Fernandez,  Heuer, 
Romig  &  Flint,  Henshall,  Lightfoot,  Doctor  Konover  and  others.  Boston 
has  also  been  for  many  years  a  good  collie  town,  and  the  Copeland,  Middle- 
brooke,  Murray  and  Westridge  kennels  are  always  factors  at  the  Massachu- 
setts shows;  while  Mr.  Bascom,  of  Providence,  is  seldom  without  an  entry 
and  has  done  much  to  keep  interest  alive  in  Rhode  Island. 

The  Canadian  section  of  colliedom  has  never  until  late  years  been  of  a 
dangerous  character.  Mr.  McEwen  has  been  for  long  a  supporter  of  the 
breed,  but  his  entries  have  hardly  been  of  the  class  of  those  that  we  have 
received  at  our  shows  from  Montreal  or  Ottawa.     Mr.  Joseph  Reid,  of 


366  The  Dog  Book 

Montreal,  and  the  Coila  Kennels  have  turned  out  the  best  native-bred 
Canadian  dogs  that  we  have  seen,  while  the  Balmoral  Kennels,  formerly 
of  Ottawa  but  now  of  Montreal,  have  taken  high  rank  with  some  good 
imported  dogs;  the  names  of  such  dogs  as  Balmoral  Baron,  Balmoral  Rex, 
Balmoral  Duchess  and  Balmoral  Primrose  being  familiar  to  all  versed  in 
collie  history.  It  will  be  seen  therefore  that  collies  in  this  country  are 
thoroughly  well  established,  and  although  we  may  for  some  years  yet 
continue  to  have  importations,  they  will  have  to  be  of  the  very  highest 
class  to  prove  winners,  for  we  are  beginning  to  produce  home  breds  of 
better  quality  all  the  time,  and  just  as  we  have  ceased  to  make  any  importa- 
tions of  consequence  in  pointers,  cockers,  St.  Bernards,  bull  terriers  and 
a  few  other  breeds,  so  also  will  we  be  able  to  rely  more  and  more  upon 
what  we  breed  in  this  country. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Head. — Skull  flat,  moderately  wide  between  the  ears  and  gradually 
tapering  to  the  eyes.  There  should  be  but  a  very  slight  prominence  of 
the  eyebrov/s  and  a  very  slight  depression  at  the  stop. 

The  proper  width  of  skull  necessarily  depends  upon  the  combined 
length  of  skull  and  muzzle,  for  what  would  be  a  thick  or  too  broad  skull 
in  one  dog  is  not  necessarily  so  in  another  of  the  same  actual  girth  but 
better  supported  by  length  of  muzzle.  It  must  also  be  considered  in 
conjunction  with  the  size  of  the  dog,  and  should  incline  to  lightness,  ac- 
companied by  cleanness  of  outline  of  cheeks  and  jaws.  A  heavy-headed 
dog  lacks  the  bright,  alert  and  full-of-sense  look  so  much  to  be  desired. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  attenuated  head  is  most  frequently  seen  with  small 
Terrier  eyes,  which  show  no  character. 

Muzzle  should  be  of  fair  length  and  tapering  to  the  nose,  which  should 
be  black;  it  must  not  show  weakness  or  appear  snipy.  The  teeth  of  good 
size  and  even.  English  standard  says,  "Mouth  the  least  bit  overshot," 
but  this  is  by  no  means  desirable,  and  if  at  all  exaggerated  should  be  treated 
as  a  malformation. 

Eyes. — There  being  no  "brow"  in  which  to  set  the  eyes,  they  are 
necessarily  placed  obliquely,  the  upper  portion  of  the  muzzle  being  dropped 
or  chiselled  to  give  them  the  necessary  forward  lookout.  They  shouid 
be  of  medium  size,  never  showing  too  light  in  comparison  with  the  colour 


MAKING  THE   COLLIE  USEFUL  AS  A  GOAT  TENDER 


i 


Rough-Coated  Collie  367 

of  coat  nor  with  a  yellow  ring.  Expression  full  of  intelligence,  with  a 
bright  and  "what-is-it"  look  when  on  the  alert  or  listening  to  orders;  this 
is,  of  course,  largely  contributed  to  by  the  throwing  up  of  the  ears  which 
accompanies  the  "qui-vive"  attitude. 

Ears. — The  ears  can  hardly  be  too  small  if  carried  properly;  if  too 
small  they  are  apt  to  be  thrown  quite  erect  or  prick  eared;  and  if  large  they 
either  cannot  be  properly  lifted  off  the  head  or,  if  lifted,  they  show  out  of 
proportion.  When  in  repose  the  ears  are  folded  lengthwise  and  thrown 
back  into  the  frill;  on  the  alert  they  are  thrown  up  and  drawn  closer  together 
on  the  top  of  the  skull.  They  should  be  carried  about  three-quarters 
erect.  A  prick-eared  dog  should  be  penalised.  So  much  attention  having 
of  late  been  given  to  securing  very  high  carriage  of  ears,  it  has  resulted 
in  reaching  the  other  extreme  in  some  cases,  and  that  is  now  necessary  to 
guard  against. 

Neck. — Should  be  muscular  and  of  sufficient  length  to  give  the  dog 
a  fine  upstanding  appearance  and  show  off  the  frill,  which  should  be  very 
full. 

Body. — Rather  long,  ribs  well  rounded,  chest  deep  but  of  fair  breadth 
behind  the  shoulders,  which  should  have  good  slope.  Loin  slightly  arched, 
showing  power. 

Legs. — Fore  legs  straight  and  muscular,  with  a  fair  amount  of  bone,  the 
fore  arm  moderately  fleshy;  pasterns  showing  flexibility  without  weakness; 
the  hind  legs  less  fleshy,  very  sinewy,  and  hocks  and  stifles  well  bent.  Feet 
oval  in  shape,  soles  well  padded,  and  the  toes  arched  and  close  together. 

Tail. — Moderately  long,  carried  low  when  the  dog  is  quiet,  the  end 
having  upward  twist  or  "swirl,"  gayly  when  excited,  but  not  carried  over 
the  back. 

Coat. — This  is  a  very  important  point.  The  coat,  except  on  the 
head  and  legs,  should  be  abundant,  the  outer  coat  harsh  to  the  touch, 
the  inner  coat  soft  and  furry  and  very  close — so  close  that  it  is  difficult  on 
parting  the  hair  to  see  the  skin.  The  mane  and  frill  should  be  very  abundant, 
the  mask  or  face  smooth,  the  fore  legs  slightly  feathered,  the  hind  legs  below 
the  hocks  smooth.     Hair  on  tail  very  profuse,  and  on  hips  long  and  bushy. 

Colour. — Immaterial,  though  a  richly  coloured  or  nicely  marked 
dog  has  undoubtedly  a  considerable  amount  of  weight  with  judges — the 
black-and-tan  with  white  frill  and  collar  or  the  still  more  shov^  sable 
with  perfect  white  markings  will  generally  win,  other  things  being  equal. 


368 


The  Dog  Book 


Size. — Dogs,  22  to  24  inches  at  the  shoulder;  bitches,  20  to  22  inches. 
Weight — dogs,  45  to  60  pounds;  bitches,  40  to  50  pounds. 

Expression. — This  is  one  of  the  most  important  points  in  considering 
the  relative  value  of  Collies.  "Expression,"  like  the  term  "character," 
is  difficult  to  define  in  v^ords.  It  is  not  a  fixed  point  as  in  colour,  weight 
or  height,  and  is  something  the  uninitiated  can  only  properly  understand 
by  optical  illustration.  It  is  the  combined  product  of  the  shape  of  the 
skull  and  muzzle,  the  set,  size,  shape  and  colour  of  the  eyes,  and  the  position 
and  carriage  of  the  ears. 

General  Character. — A  lithe,  active  dog,  with  no  useless  timber  about 
him,  his  deep  chest  showing  strength,  his  sloping  shoulders  and  well-bent 
hocks  indicating  speed  and  his  face  high  intelligence.  As  a  whole  he  should 
present  an  elegant  and  pleasing  outline,  quite  distinct  from  any  other 
breed,  and  show  great  strength  and  activity. 

Faults. — Domed  skull,  high-peaked  occipital  bone,  heavy  pendulous 
ears  or  the  other  extreme,  prick  ears,  short  tail,  or  tail  curled  over  the 
back. 

The  foregoing  description  is  that  of  the  Collie  Club  of  America,  which 
fixed  no  scale  of  points  but  added  the  following  scale  of  points  adopted 
by  the  Collie  Clubs  of  England  and  Scotland,  neither  of  which  rec- 
ommends point  judging,  the  figures  merely  showing  on  which  "properties" 
the  greater  stress  is  laid: 


English 

Head  and  expression 15 

Ears 10 

Neck  and  shoulders 10 

Legs  and  Feet 15 

Hindquarters 10 

Back  and  loins 10 

Brush 5 

Coat  with  frill 20 

Size 5 


Scale  of  Points 

Scottish 

Head 15 

Eyes 5 

Ears 10 

Neck  and  shoulders 10 

Body 10 

Legs  and  feet 15 

Brush  or  tail 5 

Coat 20 

Size  and  general  appear- 
ance    10 


Total 


100 


Total 


100 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


n The  Smooth  Sheep  Dog 


E  cannot  compliment  a  single  one  of  our  forerunners  in 
their  contributions  to  the  history  of  sheep  dogs  in  England. 
Yet  there  is  not  in  the  whole  category  of  dogs  of  the  British 
Isles  a  simpler  record  to  unfold.  The  stumbling  block 
to  all  has  been  the  nomenclature  erroneously  attached  to 
the  varieties  of  sheep  dogs.  If  by  the  word  collie  is  meant  a  distinct  breed 
of  dog,  then  there  is  but  one  of  that  name,  the  Scotch  rough-coated  dog. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  by  collie  we  are  to  understand  that  it  is  merely  a 
sheep  dog,  then  there  is  the  rough,  the  smooth  and  the  bob-tail.  Our 
vote  is  that  the  name  is  for  a  breed,  hence  we  give  the  name  of  collie  to  the 
rough  dog  only,  and  call  the  other  two  sheep  dogs,  they  being  entirely 
distinct  in  ancestry  from  the  Scotch  dog. 

We  must,  in  order  to  disentangle  the  muddle  into  which  the  breeds 
have  got,  touch  upon  the  writings  of  recent  dog-book  editors  in  the  chapters 
they  have  written  upon  the  bob-tailed  dog.  The  mistake  all  have  made 
is  in  taking  it  for  granted  that  because  some  enthusiasts  who  formed  a 
club  in  1888  for  the  bob-tailed  dog  gave  it  the  name  of  the  "Old  English 
Sheep  Dog,"  that  it  was  the  original  sheep  dog,  whereas  it  is  a  comparatively 
modern  variety.  Had  the  supporters  of  the  smooth  sheep  dog  organised  their 
club  at  that  time  and  given  that  name  to  their  variety,  then  all  would  have  been 
plain  sailing.  Taking  it  for  granted  that  the  bob-tail  was  really  the  original 
sheep  dog  of  England,  writers  on  that  variety  copied  from  the  oldest  books  that 
had  references  to  sheep  dogs  and  then  complained  that  the  descriptions  must 
be  wrong,  so  we  must  first  unravel  the  lines.  The  bob-tail  we  "lay  on  the 
table "  until  the  next  chapter,  and  take  up  the  history  of  the  dog  that  is  the 
old  English  sheep  dog,  commonly  known  as  the  smooth  collie,  but  which 
we  shall  call  the  smooth  sheep  dog,  as  he  has  no  traceable  descent  from 
the  Scotch  rough  dog,  universally  known  as  the  collie. 

The  smooth  sheep  dog  was  a  member  of  the  rather  large  family  which 
in  olden  days  went  under  the  general  name  of  mastiff.     Mastiff  is  now 

369 


370  The  Dog  Book 

accepted  as  nothing  but  an  old  English  word  for  mongrel,  and  not  in  any 
way  indicative  of  size,  bulk  or  confined  to  the  large  dog  we  now  call  mastiff. 
This  group  included  everything  outside  of  spaniels,  hounds,  toys,  and  to 
some  extent  terriers.  With  regard  to  the  latter,  if  this  definition  of  mastiff 
is  kept  in  mind  it  will  help  readers  of  old  books  to  understand  how  some 
authors  came  to  describe  terriers  as  part  mastiffs.  With  this  kept  in  mind, 
we  will  take  our  first  quotation  from  Caius's  "Treatise  of  English  Dogges,'* 
1570.  Dividing  English  dogs  into  five  sections,  he  puts  the  shepherd's 
dog  in  the  fourth  section,  and  after  having  described  all  varieties  of  dogs 
at  some  length  he  condenses  the  information  in  what  he  calls  a  *'  Supplement 
or  addition,  containing  a  demonstration  of  Dogges  names  how  they  had 
their  Originall.'*  In  this  condensed  fourth  section  he  writes:  "Of  dogs 
under  the  coarser  kind  we  will  deale  first  with  the  shepherde's  dogge,  whom 
some  call  the  Bandogge,  the  Tydogge,  or  the  Mastyne,  the  first  name  is 
imputed  to  him  for  service,  Quoniam  pastori  famulator,  because  he  is  at 
the  shepherds  his  masters  commandment.  The  seconde  a  Ligamento 
of  the  band  or  chain  wherewith  he  is  tyed.  The  third  a  Sagina  of  the 
fatnesse  of  his  body." 

Following  closely  upon  Caius  we  have  the  "Foure  Bookes  of  Husband- 
rie,"  1586,  to  this  effect:  "The  shepherd's  Masty,  that  is  for  the  folde 
must  neither  be  so  gaunt  nor  so  swifte  as  the  greyhound,  nor  so  fatte  nor 
so  heavy  as  the  Masty  of  the  house;  but  verie  strong,  and  able  to  fighte  and 
follow  the  chase,  that  he  may  beat  away  the  woolfe  or  other  beasts,  and  to 
follow  the  theefe,  and  to  recover  the  prey.  And  therfor  his  body  should 
be  rather  long  than  short  and  thick;  in  all  other  points  he  must  agree  with 
the  ban-dog."  We  will  now  take  a  jump  of  two  hundred  years,  for  we 
know  of  nothing  more  until  we  come  to  Bewick's  "History  of  Quadrupeds," 
and  from  that  we  give  his  illustrations  of  the  "Cur-dog"  and  the  "  Ban-dog.'* 

It  is  no  stretch  of  the  imagination  for  any  person,  if  shown  the  bandog 
illustration,  and  without  knowledge  of  what  it  is,  to  state  that  it  is  a  smooth 
collie,  as  it  is  called  nowadays;  and  that  this  bandog  was  a  cattle  dog  is 
proved  by  Bewick's  description,  which  is  as  follows: 

"The  Ban-dog  is  a  variety  of  this  fierce  tribe  [the  bulldog  and  mastiff], 
not  often  to  be  seen  at  present.  It  is  lighter,  smaller,  more  active  and 
vigilant  than  the  mastiff,  but  not  so  powerful;  its  nose  is  smaller  [narrower] 
and  possesses,  in  some  degree,  the  scent  of  the  hound.  Its  hair  is  rougher 
and  generally  of  a  yellowish  grey,  streaked  with  shades  of  a  black  or  brown 


CLAYTON    SURPRISE  REDCAR   LASSIE 

Shown  by  Mrs.  J.  L.  Kernochan,  at  Atlantic  City,  April,  1903 


CH.    BARDON   VENTURE  CH.   ELEAKOR   DE   MONTFORT 

Two  leading  Smooths  in  England  at  the  present  time 


The  Smooth  Sheep  Dog  371 

colour.  It  does  not  invariably,  like  the  preceding  kinds,  attack  its  ad- 
versary in  front,  but  frequently  seizes  cattle  by  the  flank.  It  attacks  with 
eagerness,  and  its  bite  is  keen  and  dangerous." 

Of  the  cur  dog  he  w^rites  that  it  "  is  a  trusty  and  useful  servant  to  the 
farmer  and  grazier,  and  although  it  is  not  taken  notice  of  by  naturalists 
as  a  distinct  race,  yet  it  is  now  so  generally  used,  especially  in  the  north  of 
England,  and  such  great  attention  is  paid  in  breeding  it  that  we  cannot  help 
considering  it  a  permanent  kind.  In  the  north  of  England  this  and  the 
foregoing,  the  shepherd's  dog  or  Scotch  collie,  are  called  Coally  dogs. 

"They  are  chiefly  employed  in  driving  cattle,  in  which  they  are  ex- 
tremely useful.  They  are  larger,  stronger  and  fiercer  than  the  shepherd's 
dog  and  their  hair  is  smoother  and  shorter.  They  are  mostly  of  a  black 
and  white  colour,  their  ears  are  half  pricked,  and  many  are  whelped  with 
short  tails,  which  seem  as  if  they  had  been  cut;  these  are  called  self-tailed 
dogs.  They  bite  very  keenly,  and  as  they  always  make  their  attack  at  the 
heels  the  cattle  have  no  defence  against  them.  In  this  way  they  are  more 
than  a  match  for  a  bull,  which  they  quickly  compel  to  run. 

"Similar  to  the  cur,  is  that  which  is  commonly  used  in  driving  cattle 
to  the  slaughter,  and  as  these  dogs  have  frequently  to  go  long  journeys, 
great  strength  as  well  as  swiftness  is  required  for  that  purpose.  They 
are  therefor  generally  of  a  mixed  kind,  and  unite  in  them  the  several 
qualities  of  the  shepherd's  dog,  the  cur,  the  mastiff  and  the  greyhound." 

The  name  of  cur,  curr,  or  curre,  which  was  more  frequently  given  to 
this  dog,  is  generally  attributed  to  the  cutting  or  docking  of  the  tail  of  the 
sheep  dog,  and  as  being  a  diminutive  of  curtail.  Some  even  go  the  length 
of  explaining  that  cut-tailed  dogs  were  exempt  from  taxation,  and  that  that 
was  the  origin  of  the  custom.  But  these  dogs  had  their  tails  cut  long 
before  dog  taxes  were  imposed,  and  cur  was  a  good  old  Middle  English 
name  for  a  dog,  without  restriction  to  breed  or  the  possibility  of  the  tail's 
being  docked.  We  hazard  as  a  speculative  guess  that  as  sheep  were  docked 
the  shepherds  took  a  fancy  to  cut  their  dogs'  tails,  and  it  is  well  known  that 
it  was  a  current  belief  among  the  lower  classes  of  Englishmen  up  to  a  very 
recent  date  that  cutting  a  dog's  tail  strengthened  his  back.  The  common 
use  of  the  term  cur  about  the  time  of  Shakespeare  is  not  so  well  known  as 
it  might  be,  for  quotations  from  that  dramatist  are  generally  taken  to  cover 
the  entire  ground  of  his  time.  From  the  "Two  Gentlemen  of  Verona"  we 
have  "Marry,  she  says,  your  dog  was  a  cur;  and  tells  you  currish  thanks 


372  The  Dog  Book 

is  good  enough  for  such  a  present."  A  more  frequent  quotation  is  that 
from  "Macbeth,"  iii.,  i:  "As  hounds  and  greyhounds,  mongrels,  spaniels, 
curs,  shoughs,  water-rugs  and  demi-wolves  are  clepped  all  by  the  name  of 
dogs."  In  "King  Lear,"  iii,  6,  we  have  in  another  list  of  dogs  "bobtail 
tyke,"  cur  not  being  named.  Another  quotation  from  "King  Lear"  is: 
"Thou  hast  seen  a  farmer's  dog  bark  at  a  beggar.?"  "Ay,  sir."  "And 
the  creature  ran  from  the  cur."  There  is  also  a  very  open  use  of  the  term 
in  that  passage  wherein  so  many  hounds  are  named: 

"Huntsman,  I  charge  thee,  tender  well  my  hounds: 
Trash  [take  care  of]  Merriman,  the  poor  cur  is  embossed"  [tired  out]. 

Then  there  is  the  application  of  the  name  to  a  bear  dog: 

"Oft  have   I   seen   a  hot  o'erweening  cur 
Run  back  and  bite,  because  he  was  withheld; 
Who,  being  suffered  with  the  bear's  fell  paw, 
Hath  clapped  his  tail  between  his  legs  and  cried." 

Other  poets  of  the  Shakespearian  period  gave  even  a  wider  meaning 
to  the  name  than  he  did.    Turberville,  who  died  about  1594,  wrote  respecting 

hart  hunting: 

"Ah,  rueful  remedy  so  that  I  (as  it  were) 
Even  tear  my  life  out  of  the  teeths  of  hounds,  which  make  me  fear, 
And  from  those  cruel  curs  and  brain-sick  bawling  tykes, 
Which  do  foot  out  to  follow  me  both  over  hedge  and  dykes." 

From  Drayton,  1 563-1 631,  we  have  in  his  "Dancing  Dog": 

"Then  Ball,  my  cut-tailed  cur,  and  I  begin  to  play. 
He  o'er  my  sheep-hook  leaps,  now  th'one,  now  th'other  way, 
Then  on  his  hinder  feet  he  doth  himself  advance, 
I  tune,  and  to  my  note  my  lively  dog  will  dance." 

Cuttail  is  not  infrequently  used  as  the  name  of  a  dog.  In  the  "  Shep- 
herd's Sirena"  it  occurs  thus:  "Whistles  Cuttail  from  his  play."  And 
Drayton  affords  another  quotation  in  "The  Mooncalf": 

"They  bring 
Mastiffs   and   mongrels,   all   that   in    a   string 
Could   be  got  out,  or  could   lug  a  hog. 
Ball,  Eatall,  Cuttail,  Blackfoot — bitch  and  dog." 

In  the  "  Farewell  to  Whitefoot,"  by  Drayton,  we  again  have  the  double 
mention  of  cur  and  cuttail : 

"He  called  his  dog  (that  sometimes  had  the  praise) 
Whitefoot,  well  known  to  all  that  keep  the  plain, 
That  many  a  wolf  had  worried  in  his  days, 
A  better  cur  there  never  followed  swain; 
Which,  though  as  he  his  master's  sorrows  knew, 
Wagged  his  cut  tail,  his  wretched  plight  to  rue." 


S  i 
«  § 

W    g 

2  f 
o  ►J 

o  §• 

B 

§1 


The  Smooth  Sheep  Dog  373 

In  another  poem  of  Drayton's  on  "Coursing"  there  is  what  seems  to 
be  some  "printers'  errors": 

"She  riseth  from  her  seat,  as  though  on  earth  she  flew, 
Forced  by  some  yelping  cute  to  give  the  greyhounds  view, 
Which  are  at  length  let  slip,  when  gunning  out  they  go, 
As  in  respect  of  them  the  swiftest  wind  were  slow." 

The  word  "cute"  is  meant  for  cur,  or  was  probably  written  with  the 
final  "e,"  as  was  then  customary.  "Gunning"  must  surely  be  "running," 
for  the  word  gun  was  then  unknown,  engine  or  fowling  piece  being  the 
name  for  a  gun  in  Drayton's  day.  A  comma  after  "running  out"  makes 
sense  of  what  is  unintelligible. 

William  Drummond,  1 585-1 649,  wrote  in  "The  Dog  Star": 

"When  her  dear  bosom  clips 
That   little   cur,   which   fawns  to   touch   her   lips. 
Or  when  it  is  his  hap 
To  lie  lapped  in  her  lap." 

In  a  comedy  by  William  Browne,  1 591- 1643,  we  have: 

"Philos   of  his   dog  doth    brag 
For  having  many  feats; 
The  while  the  cur  undoes  his  bag. 
And  all  his  dinner  eats." 

In  the  conversation  to  which  those  lines  are  the  prelude  we  find: 

Willie.     "Now  Philos,  see  how  mannerly  your  cur, 

Your  well-taught  dog,  that  hath  so  many  tricks, 
Devours    your    dinner." 

Phtlos.     "I  wish  t'were  a  bur 

To  choke  the  mongrel!" 

As  a  companion  piece  to  Drummond's  lady's  pet,  which  he  calls  a  cur, 
there  is  this  from  Samuel  Butler,  1612-1680: 

"Quoth  Hudibras — 
Agrippa  kept  a  Stygian  pug,  I'th'garb  and  habit  of  a  dog, 
That  was  his  tutor,  and  the  cur 
Read  to  the  occult  philosopher." 

The  word  becomes  of  much  less  frequent  use  by  poets  after  1650, 
the  meaning  evidently  changing.  The  contemporaneous  poets,  Jonathan 
Swift  (1667-1745)  and  Allan  Ramsay  (1686-1768),  each  supply  a  quota- 
tion. The  former  in  his  skit  upon  the  Pretender  plot  of  1772  mentions 
two  of  the  witnesses  as  "cur  Plunkett,  or  whelp  Skean,"  and  Ramsay 
showed  the  northward  progression  of  two  good  English  words  in  his  "Lover's 
Logic": 


374  The  Dog  Book 

"My  Bawty  is  a  cur  I  dearly  like, 
Till  he  yowled  fair  she  strak  the  poor  dumb  tyke; 
If  I  had  filled  a  nook  within  her  breast, 
She  wad  have  shawn  mair  kindness  to  my  beast." 

These  quotations  demonstrate  that  cur  was  in  common  use  as  a  synonym 
for  dog,  and  was  not  confined  to  any  one  variety.  It  did  not  mean  a  dog 
with  a  short  tail,  hence  it  is  not  an  abbreviation  of  curtail,  to  shorten. 
Another  thing  that  must  not  be  overlooked  is  that  there  is  not  a  single 
reference  to  any  of  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  the  bob-tailed  sheep  dog 
and  a  dog  of  such  peculiarities  would  surely  have  attracted  some  special 
mention  to  his  shaggy  coat,  rug  as  Shakespeare  has  it  in  "water-rug "-and 
again  in  his  description  of  the  unkempt  shock-headed  Irish  soldiers  in 
"Richard  II.,"  ii,  i: 

"Now  for  our  Irish  wars; 
We  must  supplant  those  rough  rug-headed  kerns," 

kerns  being  the  lightly  accoutred  foot  soldier  of  Ireland. 

We  have  suppressed  nothing  that  we  have  any  knowledge  of,  and  have 
demonstrated  that  the  English  sheep  dog  of  1570  and  the  smooth  sheep  dog 
of  1800  were  one  and  the  same  dog,  a  lightly  built  common  farm  dog,  that  had 
been  developed  from  the  guard  and  watch  dog  and  gradually  reduced  in 
heaviness  of  frame  as  necessity  for  protection  from  attacks  of  wild  animals 
ceased.  There  is  not  the  slightest  evidence  that  any  rough-coated  prede- 
cessor of  the  bob-tailed  dog  was  then  in  existence.  So  this  smooth  dog 
is  the  genuine  old  English  sheep  dog,  and  w^e  will  later  endeavor  to  prove 
him  to  be  the  original  of  the  bob-tailed  sheep  dog.  It  is  also  clearly  shown 
that  so  far  as  the  smooth  dog  being  a  variety  of  the  Scotch  collie,  the  claim 
has  no  foundation  whatever,  for  no  person  has  ever  advanced  the  suggestion 
that  the  Scotch  dog  was  originally  of  mastiff  stock. 

More  interesting  to  the  reader  not  concerned  materially  in  tracing 
ancestry  is  the  description  that  Caius  gives  of  the  sheep  dog  and  how  he 
was  used.  He  is  the  first  dog  considered  in  the  fourth  section  of  the  "dis- 
course" which  treats  of  "Dogges  of  a  Course  [coarse]  Kind  serving  for 
Many  necessary  uses,  called  in  Latine  Canes  Rustici,  and  first  of  the 
shepherds  dogge,  called  in  Latine  Cams  Pastoralis. 

"The  firste  kinde,  namely  the  shepherds  hounde  is  very  necessarye 
and  profitable  for  avoyding  of  harmes  and  inconveniences  which  may 
come  to  men  by  means  of  beastes.  Our  shepherdes  dogge  is  not  huge, 
vaste  and  bigge,  but  of  an  indifferent  stature  and  growth,  because  it  hath 


The  Smooth  Sheep  Dog  375 

not  to  deale  with  the  bloudthirsty  wolf,  sythence  there  be  none  in  England." 
Here  the  author  goes  into  an  account  of  how  wolves  were  killed  off  in  the 
time  of  King  Edgar,  which  is  not  material.  "But  to  return  to  our  shepherd 
dogge.  This  dogge  either  at  the  hearing  of  his  masters  voyce,  or  at  the 
wagging  and  whisteling  in  his  fist,  or  at  his  shrill  and  horse  hissing  bringeth 
the  wandering  weathers  and  straying  sheepe,  into  the  selfesame  place  where 
his  masters  will  and  wishe,  is  to  have  them,  whereby  the  shepherd  reapeth 
this  benefite,  namely,  that  with  litle  labour  and  no  toyle  or  moving  of  his 
feete  he  may  rule  and  guide  his  flocke,  according  to  his  own  desire,  either 
to  have  them  go  forward,  or  to  stand  still,  or  to  drawe  backward,  or  to 
turn  this  way,  or  to  take  that  way.  .  .  .  Furthermore  with  this  dogge 
doth  the  shepherd  take  sheep  for  the  slaughter,  and  to  be  healed  if  they  be 
sicke,  no  hurt  or  harme  done  in  the  world  to  the  simple  creatures."  It 
does  not  look  as  if  we  had  learned  much  more  of  sheep  tending  and  driving 
than  was  known  in  that  bygone  time,  and  probably  long  before  that. 

Our  knowledge  of  dogs  in  England  prior  to  1868  did  not  include 
smooth  sheep  dogs,  except  what  might  have  been  seen  in  the  drovers' 
dogs  assortment,  for  no  classes  had  at  that  time  been  provided  at  any 
shows.  When  we  next  had  opportunity  to  learn  something  of  them,  that 
is  from  1877  to  1880,  we  either  must  have  failed  to  note  the  good  ones  or 
there  were  none  to  note  at  the  shows  we  visited,  for  our  impression  of  the 
smooth  collie  can  be  best  illustrated  by  a  remark  made  to  Mr.  Megson 
when  we  visited  him  at  Sale  in  the  winter  of  1897.  We  had  seen  and  admired 
Southport  Perfection  and  Ormskirk  Emerald,  and  were  about  returning  to 
the  Priory,  when  Mr.  Megson  said :  "  Don't  you  want  to  see  the  smooths  .? " 
To  which  we  answered  that  they  always  seemed  a  mongrelly  dog  to  us. 
**Ah!  then  you  have  never  seen  a  good  one."  We  at  once  said  we  wanted 
to  see  a  good  one,  so  a  visit  was  paid  to  the  smooth  dogs'  kennels,  where 
we  opened  our  eyes  when  we  saw  the  champion  dog  of  his  day.  We  cannot 
now  recall  his  name,  for  Mr.  Megson  had  more  than  one  good  smooth. 
Since  then  we  have  always  had  a  decided  liking  for  a  good  smooth,  for 
while  a  bad  one  is  anything  but  "fetching,"  there  is  no  getting  away  from 
a  high-class  smooth,  for  he  is  all  quality  when  he  is  a  good  one. 

Unfortunately  the  smooth  sheep  dog  has  to  run  counter  to  the  far 
more  popular  rough  collie,  and  it  takes  a  thorough  dog  man  to  appreciate 
a  smooth,  just  as  is  the  case  with  the  smooth  St.  Bernard  when  compared 
with  the  rough.     The  result  is  that  only  a  few  of  those  who  are  staunch 


376 


The  Dog  Book 


appreciators  of  quality  in  a  dog  have  taken  up  the  breed  in  this  country. 
Mr.  Jarrett,  of  Chestnut  Hill,  was  the  first  to  show  them  here,  he  being  then 
one  of  the  leading  exhibitors  in  roughs.  Probably  he  found  little  call 
for  them,  as  in  a  short  time  he  sold  them  out  in  block  to  Mr.  Rutherford, 
of  Allamuchy,  N.  J.,  who  in  addition  to  fox  terriers  is  an  extensive  breeder 
of  Dorset  sheep,  and  we  understand  that  among  those  who  purchase  sheep 
from  the  Tranquility  Farm  there  is  a  good  demand  for  smooth  sheep  dogs. 
The  third  to  take  up  the  breed  was  Mrs.  J.  L.  Kernochan,  and  here  again 
we  have  one  who  is  an  expert  and  has  an  eye  for  a  symmetrical  dog.  Mrs. 
Kernochan  had  by  far  the  best  kennel  of  the  breed  we  have  had  in  this 
country,  particularly  bitches,  till  she  sold  them  out  to  Mr.  T.  King,  of 
Hempstead,   L.   I. 

There  is  a  peculiarity  in  this  breed  which  is  noticeable  in  but  few  others, 
and  that  is  that  the  bitches  are  apt  to  be  much  smaller  than  the  dogs,  the 
latter  frequently  adding  coarseness  to  their  size.  This  size  peculiarity 
is  also  seen  in  Scotch  deerhounds.  The  result  is  that  many  judges  con- 
versant with  rough  collies,  but  not  with  this  breed,  have  put  back  bitches 
that  really  ought  to  have  won,  placing  dogs  over  them  that  were  not  entitled 
to  that  distinction,  the  decision  being  based  on  size. 

Far  greater  attention  is  paid  to  this  variety  in  England  than  with  us, 
and  the  classes  given  at  various  shows  are  much  better  filled,  but  even  there 
they  are  not  what  can  be  called  popular.  Not  only  do  they  suffer  in  the 
matter  of  coat  when  compared  with  the  roughs,  but  in  colour  also,  there 
being  none  of  the  showy  sables,  the  majority  being  black  and  tan.  Occa- 
sionally there  are  merled,  or  mirled,  dogs — a  contraction  of  marbled.  These 
are  of  various  mixed  colours,  such  as  gray-blue  or  roan  with  darker  blotches, 
or  a  reddish  shade  with  brown  and  black  blotches.  In  some  of  these 
merled  dogs  we  have  the  white  wall  or  "china"  eye.  We  lately  came 
across  a  rough  collie  bitch,  sable  with  dark  blotches  in  the  colour,  and  in 
her  litters  there  were  always  some  blue  merles  with  a  wall  eye.  As  near  as 
we  got  at  the  pedigree  of  this  collie,  she  had  been  obtained  from  Mr.  Rocke- 
feller, of  Greenwich,  or  from  his  manager,  when  a  puppy,  and  her  owner 
said  that  he  understood  the  dam  came  from  Mr.  Pierpont  Morgan's.  As 
this  gentleman  had  some  blue  merles  at  Cragston,  she  was  undoubtedly 
of  that  strain.  Why  the  china  eye  should  be  tolerated  in  this  dog,  when  a 
light  eye  is  considered  a  disfigurement  in  almost  every  dog,  is  hard  to  tell, 
but  it  is  so.     Undoubtedly  it  is  very  old,  as  it  was  rather  conspicuous  in 


The  Smooth  Sheep  Dog  377 

the  old  turnspit,  a  still  smaller  variety  of  the  common  house  dog  dating 
back  to  the  time  of  Caius. 

We  have  noticed  more  tendency  to  erect  ears  in  smooth  sheep  dogs 
than  in  the  roughs;  not  the  short,  straight  ear  that  the  roughs  are  apt  to 
develop,  but  one,  w^hich  from  its  size  and  shape  should  tip  over,  but  gets 
away  up  till  it  is  little  but  a  fancy  that  it  has  any  tip.  Perhaps  the  slight 
extra  fineness  in  the  ear  hair  has  something  to  do  v^^ith  it,  for  a  very  little 
lack  of  ear  coating  will  sometimes  affect  the  carriage  of  ear  in  the  rough 
dog,  so  high  are  we  getting  them  at  the  present  time. 

We  favour  the  opinion  that  the  smooth  sheep  dog  is  much  better 
adapted  to  our  country  than  is  the  rough,  and  we  believe  it  could  be  intro- 
duced with  advantage  in  the  West.  Our  climate  is  a  great  drawback  to 
keeping  the  rough  collie  in  good  condition,  for  he  loses  his  coat  early  in 
the  summer,  and  not  till  late  in  the  fall  does  it  begin  to  grow  for  winter 
comfort.  This  drawback  does  not  exist  in  the  case  of  the  smooth  dog, 
whose  short  coat  is  always  the  same  in  appearance  and  must  be  far  more 
comfortable  during  our  prolonged  hot  weather. 

For  many  years  now  there  has  been  practically  little  if  any  difference 
in  the  points  aimed  at  in  breeding  the  collie  and  the  smooth  sheep  dog, 
so  that  they  differ  in  little  else  than  coat.  However,  as  the  Smooth  Collie 
Club  of  England  has  adopted  a  description  and  standard  for  the  breed, 
which  is  much  simpler  than  that  for  the  rough  dog,  it  is  well  to  give  it. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Head. — Should  be  in  proportion  to  the  dog's  size,  skull  moderately 
wide  between  the  ears,  and  flat,  tapering  to  the  end  of  the  muzzle,  which 
ought  to  be  of  fair  length  but  not  too  snipy,  with  only  a  little  stop. 

Teeth. — Strong  and  white.  The  top  jaw  just  fitting  nicely  over  the 
lower,  and  where  much  over  or  under  shot  it  should  count  against  the  dog. 

Eyes. — Of  almond  shape,  set  obhquely  in  the  head,  and  the  shade  con- 
sistent with  the  colour  of  the  dog.    A  full  or  staring  eye  is  very  objectionable. 

Ears. — Small,  and  when  the  dog*s  attention  is  attracted,  carried  semi- 
erect,  but  when  in  repose  it  is  natural  for  them  to  be  laid  back. 

Neck. — Long  and  well  arched,  and  shoulders  muscular  and  sloping. 

Back. — Rather  long,  strong  and  straight,  the  lorn  slightly  arched,  and 
the  chest  fairly  deep  but  not  too  wide. 


378  The  Dog  Book 

Legs. — Fore  legs  straight  and  muscular,  with  a  fair  amount  of  bone. 
The  hind  legs  should  be  rather  wide  apart,  with  stifles  well  bent,  forcing 
sickle   hocks. 

Feet. — Compact,  knuckles  well  sprung,  claws  strong  and  close  together; 
pads  cannot  be  too  hard. 

Coat. — Short,  dense,  flat  coat,  with  good  texture,  with  an  abundance  of 
undercoat. 

Symmetry. — The  dog  should  be  of  fair  length  on  the  leg,  and  his 
movements  active  and  graceful. 

Height. — Dogs,  22  to  24  inches;  bitches,  20  to  22  inches. 

Tail. — Of  medium  length,  and  when  the  dog  is  standing  quietly 
should  be  slightly  raised,  but  more  so  when  excited. 

Scale  of  Points 

Head 25         Coat 25 

Ears 15         Tail 5 

Body 15  

Legs  and  Feet 15  Total 100 


A    BOB-TAILED   SHEEP   DOG 
From    a   painting    by    Edward    Cooper,   1835 


A  ROUGH  TERRIER,  ALLEGED  TO  BE 
A  BOB-TAILED  SHEEP  DOG 

From  a  painting  by  Gainsborongli  of  the  Duke  of  Buccleugli,  1771 


"SHEPHERD'S    DOG" 

From  a  painting  by  Keinagle,  ilio3 


CHAPTER  XXIV 


The  Bob-Tailed  Sheep  Dog 


HERE  is  no  evidence  whatever  that  the  bob-tailed  sheep  dog 
was  known  throughout  England  till  quite  a  recent  date, 
and  we  have  shown  in  the  preceding  chapter  that  the  old 
English  sheep  dog  was  the  smooth,  small  mastiff  or  common 
dog  of  the  farm.  If  there  had  been  any  knowledge  regard- 
ing dogs  of  this  shaggy  kind  the  presumption  is  that  in  Mr.  Aubrey  Hop- 
wood's  recent  book  on  the  breed  it  would  have  been  forthcoming.  That 
author  begins  with  the  statement  that  its  origin  lies  buried  in  the  mists 
of  antiquity,  whereas  the  dog  has  no  antiquity.  Not  a  single  writer  mentions 
it  until  we  get  to  "Idstone"  in  1872,  and  then  as  a  dog  found  in  a  restricted 
part  of  England.  He  says  he  remembered  it  in  Oxfordshire,  Wiltshire, 
Berkshire,  Hants,  Dorset  "and  other  counties."  This  is  his  description: 
"There  is  one  class  of  sheep  dog  which  I  always  regard  as  the  typical  English 
sheep  dog.  I  mean  the  blue,  grizzled,  rough-haired,  large-limbed,  surly, 
small-eared,  small-eyed,  leggy,  bob-tailed  dog." 

Plenty  of  quotations  can  be  made  from  old  books  in  which  the  sheep 
dog  is  described,  but  the  smooth  dog's  description  is  the  only  one  that 
can  be  found.  Mr.  Hopwood  twits  Stonehenge  for  his  description  of  the 
sheep  dog,  but  if  Mr.  Hopwood  had  lived  in  Stonehenge's  day  he  would 
have  agreed  with  him,  for  that  mongrel  thing  he  described  was  all  anyone 
knew  of  the  breed  about  London.  A  wretched,  miserable,  bedraggled- 
coated  dog,  tagging  after  a  drover  armed  with  his  gad.  In  the  north  of 
England  he  was  absolutely  unknown  till  quite  recently. 

We  were  talking  with  Mr.  Charles  H.  Mason  a  few  days  ago,  and  he 
asked  us  what  we  were  going  to  say  about  the  bob-tails.  We  frankly 
acknowledged  that  there  was  no  finding  any  old  history.  "Well,  I'll 
tell  you  something.  I  never  see  a  bob-tail  but  what  I  think  of  a  dog  I 
saw  about  thirty  to  thirty-five  years  ago,  that  an  old-timer  had.  Black 
and  coated  just  like  a  bob-tail,  had  no  tail  at  all,  and  moved  exactly  like 

379 


380  The  Dog  Book 

a  bob-tail.  That  dog  was  claimed  to  be  a  Russian  poodle."  We  asked 
if  he  had  seen  any  bob-tails  or  knew  them  at  that  time,  and  he  said  that  up 
Yorkshire  way  there  was  not  such  a  thing,  and  it  was  not  till  some  years 
after  that  he  saw  any  at  the  shows. 

Mr.  Hopwood  in  his  history  of  the  breed  gives  a  reproduction  of  a 
Gainsborough  portrait  of  the  Duke  of  Buccleuch,  1771,  and  says  the  dog 
with  the  Duke  is  a  bob-tail.  Nothing  of  the  kind;  it  is  a  large,  rough 
Scotch  terrier  with  all  the  look  of  a  Dandie.  The  dog  is  no  taller  than  an 
Irish  terrier,  for  we  put  one  alongside  a  tall  man  in  just  the  pose  in  the 
picture,  and  the  top  of  his  clean  head  was  as  high  as  the  head  of  the  Duke's 
dog,  shaggy  coat  and  all.  That  throws  us  back  on  the  hackneyed  Reinagle 
picture  of  the  "Shepherd's  Dog,"  issued  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century. 
This  was  a  portrait,  and  although  the  description  is  brief  it  is  worth  giving: 
"The  soft,  mild  and  inoffensive  countenance,  indicative  of  true  breed  in  this 
species,  together  with  the  lopped  ear,  small  nose,  and  prominent  under  jaw, 
are  admirably  portrayed."  It  is  stated  to  be  a  portrait  from  the  life,  and 
the  writer  of  the  article  quoted  from  says  that  he  remembers  seeing  a  valu- 
able sheep  dog  of  Sir  Lawrence  Palk's  at  Haldon,  Devon,  which  was  similar 
in  figure  and  countenance.  Reinagle's  picture  was  first  published  in  1803, 
but  the  article  we  quote  from  is  in  the  "Sportsman's  Repository"  of  1831. 
Youatt  some  twenty  years  later  represented  the  sheep  dog  as  being  a  snipy- 
nosed,  clean-headed  but  coarse-coated  dog,  most  decidedly  not  undershot, 
and  with  a  stump  tail.      The  dog  is  running,  and  shows  high  hindquarters. 

There  is  one  thing  about  the  Reinagle  picture  which  does  not  appear 
to  have  attracted  attention,  and  that  is  the  Scottish  scenery.  The  man 
sitting  in  the  middle  distance  may  not  have  kilts,  but  he  has  a  Scotch  bonnet 
and  a  crook.  Of  course  it  may  have  been  a  mere  fancy  of  the  artist  to  put  an 
English  sheep  dog  in  a  Scotch  or  Highland  scene,  but  it  might  have  been 
one  of  the  strain  from  which  we  have  the  bearded  collie  in  Scotland. 

As  to  Mr.  Hopwood's  third  illustration,  that  of  the  dog  sitting  with 
his  back  toward  us,  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  that  being  the  right 
article.  This  is  from  a  painting  by  Sidney  Cooper,  about  1835,  and  there 
is  no  dispute  as  to  the  dog  being  known  at  that  time.  "Idstone"  proves 
that  beyond  any  question,  amply  supporting  the  quotations  made  from  the 
"Sportsman's  Repository,"  but  the  tenor  of  the  evidence  is  that  it  was  a 
South  country  dog  confined  mainly  to  the  section  running  from  Oxfordshire 
to  Devonshire. 


The  Bob-Tailed  Sheep  Dog  381 

The  evidence  presented  in  this  and  the  preceding  chapter  is  sufficient 
to  show  that  there  is  no  trace  of  this  variety  of  sheep  dog  much  farther 
back  than  1800.  He  was  not  known  by  Caius,  or  to  the  later  author 
of  the  "Foure  Bookes  of  Husbandry."  We  cannot  say  that  we  have  a 
very  pronounced  opinion,  but  it  is  fully  as  strong  as  that  of  the  New  Yorker 
who  seeks  to  evade  jury  duty  and  swears  that  he  has  an  opinion  requiring 
evidence  to  remove,  and  our  opinion  is  this:  The  bob-tailed  sheep  dog 
such  as  was  seen  thirty  years  ago  was  by  no  means  so  large  as  the  modern 
fancy  developed  dog,  but  was  of  a  more  useful  size,  akin  to  that  of  the 
smooth  drover's  dog,  and  the  only  known  dog  that  he  then  resembled  was 
the  Russian  setter,  pointer  or  retriever,  as  he  was  variously  called.  Very 
few  dog  men  of  the  present  have  any  knowledge  of  that  setter,  but  whenever 
we  have  been  asked  about  their  appearance  we  have  always  said  that  they 
looked  more  like  a  lightly  built  bob-tailed  sheep  dog  reduced  to  the  size 
of  a  large  setter,  than  anything  we  have  knowledge  of.  If  the  reader  turns 
to  the  representation  of  "The  Pointer,"  by  Sydenham  Edwards,  in  the 
chapter  on  the  pointer.  Part  IV.,  he  will  there  see  what  the  head  of  the 
Russian  dog  looked  like,  and  note  for  himself  the  strong  resemblance  to 
what  the  sheep  dog  must  have  been  before  being  improved  to  his  present 
standard. 

This  Russian  dog  is  not  known  now,  but  he  was  far  from  being  un- 
common some  time  prior  to  1800,  and  was  well  known  for  some  time  after 
that.  In  the  chapter  on  the  pointer  we  have  quoted  the  Rev.  Mr.  Simons 
to  the  effect  that  the  Earl  of  Powis  had  some  which  were  said  to  have  come 
from  Lorraine,  and  describes  them  as  being  sullen  in  disposition.  Colonel 
Hamilton  we  also  quoted  from  as  having  owned  some  of  them,  and  his 
shooting  was  in  Oxfordshire.  Another  who  tended  to  bring  them  into 
prominent  notice  was  the  late  Joseph  Lang,  a  well-known  gun  maker  of 
London.  A  year  ago  we  called  at  the  present  Lang  establishment  when 
visiting  London,  but  there  was  nothing  to  be  obtained  in  the  way  of  pictures, 
the  only  record  of  the  old  gentleman's  connection  with  the  breed  being  his 
letter  to  "Craven"  in  the  "Young  Sportsman's  Manual."  In  this  letter 
Mr.  Lang  states  that  he  visited  an  old  friend  in  Somersetshire  for  a  week's 
shooting  and  had  his  best  setters  "beaten  hollow"  by  his  friend's  dogs, 
which  were  bred  from  pure  Russian  setters,  crossed  with  an  English  setter 
which  had  once  belonged  to  Joseph  Manton.  Determined  to  beat  the 
Russians,  Mr.  Lang  next  season  purchased  two  exceptionally  fine  setters  in 


382  The  Dog  Book 

Yorkshire,  and  again  made  the  trip  to  Somersetshire,  only  to  meet  with  a 
still  more  disastrous  defeat.  Mr.  Lang  then  made  an  exchange  and  bred 
the  Russians  himself  for  his  own  use.  He  speaks  of  them  as  being  dogs 
that  were  easily  trained  and  never  forgot  their  lessons  from  one  season  to 
another. 

There  is  no  proof  that  these  dogs  produced  the  bob-tails,  but  there  is 
no  knowledge  whatever  of  this  peculiar  sheep  dog  prior  to  the  period  that 
we  know  the  Russians  to  have  been  in  England  and  kept  by  gentlemen 
who  shot  in  the  south  country.  Our  opinion  is  that  from  this  dog  the  bob- 
tail got  his  coat  and  ears,  that  he  was  crossed  on  the  smooth  sheep  dog,  and 
from  the  latter  got  the  tendency  to  breed  without  a  tail,  also  the  occasional 
wall  eye.  Where  that  wall  eye  originated  lies  buried  in  the  mists  of  antiquity, 
to  quote  Mr.  Hopwood,  but  it  was  in  the  bandog,  in  his  lighter  brother, 
the  smooth  sheep  dog,  and  in  the  little  mongrel  turnspit.  It  seems  to  have 
been  made  in  England.  From  the  smooth  sheep  dog  in  all  likelihood  came 
the  peculiar  shuffling  pace  and  the  low  withers,  for  that  was  characteristic  of 
the  old  drover's  dog. 

The  argument  and  conclusions  may  not  be  convincing  to  many  of  our 
readers,  but  all  will  acknowledge  that  the  dog  could  not  just  grow,  like 
Topsy;  it  was  produced  in  some  manner  from  some  progenitor  which  it 
still  resembles,  and  what  other  dog  was  there  in  England  to  produce  the 
coat  peculiarities  of  the  bob-tail  except  these  Russian  dogs,  which  were 
then  known  and  used  in  England  .? 

The  bob-tail  is  now  given  an  excellent  character  as  to  disposition  and 
behaviour,  and  in  that  respect  he  resembles  the  Airedale  terrier,  which  in  a 
few  years,  from  being  a  difficult  dog  to  manage,  blossomed  into  a  ladies* 
companion.  Our  experience  with  the  breed  is  limited  to  having  two  of 
the  most  valuable  collies  we  ever  owned  chewed  to  death  by  a  model  bob- 
tail, and  while  Mr.  Mason  thinks  of  the  old  Russian  poodle  when  he  sees  a 
bob-tail,  our  thought  is  of  poor  Clipsetta  and  her  dam  Nesta,  and  on  that 
account  we  could  never  be  induced  to  keep  one  of  this  breed. 

Bob-tails  were  taken  hold  of  with  a  rush  a  few  years  ago,  but  the  fancy 
seems  to  be  cooling  down  again.  There  is  the  drawback  of  our  climate  to 
contend  against,  and  they  cannot  be  kept  in  coat  to  any  advantage  in 
prolonged  hot  weather.  When  out  of  coat  it  cannot  be  said  that  they  are 
attractive  dogs,  and  with  the  old  exhibitors  dropping  out  while  few  recruits 
are  to  be  had,  it  looks  as  if  the  breed  will  not  prove  a  success  here.     Merely 


n        ■     i      \    WILBERFORCE 
Owned  by  Mrs.  G.  S.  Thomas,  Hamilton,  Mass. 


CHAMPION   DOLLY   GRAY 
Owned  by  Tilley  Bros.,  Shepton  Mallet.  England 


The  Bob-Tailed  Sheep  Dog  383 

as  companions,  there  are  too  many  good-looking  dogs  of  other  breeds  for 
an  oddity,  such  as  the  bob-tail  most  undoubtedly  is,  to  succeed  with  Amer- 
icans. 

Our  opinion  is  that  the  English  fancy  is  developing  a  dog  too  large 
for  use.  A  small  or  medium-sized  dog  is  far  better  for  sheep  work  than 
one  of  the  large,  carthorse  style,  which  will  wear  himself  out  through  his 
own  excessive  weight.  The  late  Doctor  Edwardes-Ker,  who  was  the 
recognised  authority  on  the  breed,  was  of  the  opinion  that  the  dog  was 
formerly  much  larger,  and  that  the  short  back  and  thick-set  body,  making 
the  dog  "a  little  big  'un,"  showed  this.  In  place  of  this  being  so,  the  size 
has  increased  astonishingly,  through  better  rearing  and  feeding,  and  he 
has  left  his  companion,  the  smooth  dog,  behind  in  the  race  for  size.  On 
this  question  of  size  we  quote  from  a  short  contribution  by  the  well-known 
English  exhibitors,  the  Tilley  Brothers,  from  whom  so  many  good  dogs  have 
come  to  this  country:  "We  are  satisfied  with  the  type  of  the  breed  in  all 
features  but  two,  which  are  size  and  lack  of  courage.  Bob-tails  are  now 
too  large  (i.  e.,  the  winning  dogs)  to  be  of  great  value  as  workers.  A  large 
and  heavy  dog  tires  far  more  quickly  than  a  cobby  and  more  active  one, 
such  as  the  original  sheep  and  cattle  dogs  were."  Another  quotation  from 
Mr.  Tilley  may  perhaps  be  considered  as  supporting  our  contention  as  to 
the  origin  of  the  breed:  "They  make  splendid  dogs  for  the  gun,  having 
a  keen  scent,  are  easily  trained,  will  face  any  fence,  most  obedient  to  com- 
mand, and  ready  and  natural  retrievers." 

The  exhibition  bob-tail  is  a  dog  having  no  resemblance  to  any  other 
member  of  the  dog  family.  Naturally  a  short-coupled  dog,  he  looks  still 
shorter  in  body,  owing  to  his  coat  giving  him  additional  size  or  bulk  of 
body.  He  stands  slightly  lower  at  the  withers  than  at  the  loin,  which 
gives  him  his  bear-like  appearance  of  body  and  movement,  and  this  is 
added  to  by  his  gait  being  a  pace,  or  perhaps  it  is  more  of  racking  than 
pacing,  being  an  independent  foot  movement  in  all  his  slow  paces.  At  his 
fast  gait  he  gallops  with  great  power  and  determination. 

As  much  difference  in  texture  of  coat  is  to  be  met  with  as  in  wire- 
haired  terriers,  but  the  right  thing  is  a  coat  with  a  bit  of  a  kink  in  it.  Mrs. 
Fare  Fosse  got  it  about  right  when  she  wrote:  "A  hard,  shaggy  coat, 
not  curly  or  straight  (which  is  worse),  but  broken  in  disposition — that  is, 
with  just  one  twist  in  the  hair,  as  two  twists  make  a  curl."  It  is  a  very 
difficult  coat  to  describe,  as  there  is  nothing  to  compare  it  with  in  any 


384  The  Dog  Book 

animal.  It  must  have  sufficient  substance  to  prevent  its  lying  flat  like 
a  setter's,  and  yet  must  not  stand  out  like  a  collie's  mane  or  frill.  The 
head  coat  is  softer  and  entirely  covers  the  outline  of  skull  and  fore  face, 
giving  a  bulky  appearance  to  the  head.  The  legs  are  also  well  coated  all 
around,  adding  to  their  appearance  of  girth. 

There  is  a  great  desire  for  what  bob-tail  fanciers  call  pigeon  blue, 
either  as  the  main  colour,  with  white  about  the  face,  legs  and  neck,  or 
white  with  this  blue  in  patches  on  the  body.  Pigeons  vary  too  much  in 
shades  of  blue  for  this  name  to  be  an  unmistakable  guide.  All  know  what 
a  grizzle  is,  and  grizzle  is  one  of  the  accepted  colours.  In  place  of  black 
mixed  with  gray  or  white  hairs,  which  makes  the  grizzle,  the  mixture  is  a 
shade  of  the  blue  of  the  Maltese  cat  shot  with  gray  or  white  hairs,  brighten- 
ing up  the  colour  and  at  the  same  time  preserving  the  blue  tone.  Black  and 
white  is  an  accepted  colour;  in  fact  the  only  objection  is  to  brown  or  collie 
sable. 

The  boom  year  in  bob-tails  was  1903,  when  seven  classes  were  opened 
at  the  New  York  Show  and  fifty-six  entries  were  received,  among  them 
being  a  number  brought  over  by  young  Mr.  Tilley,  of  Tilley  Brothers. 
It  was  a  field  day  for  this  kennel,  every  first  prize  but  one,  which  Mr. 
Howard  Gould  won,  going  to  the  Tilley  dogs.  Their  best  dog  was  Merry 
Boy  and  the  best  bitch  Bouncing  Lass.  Another  good  dog  in  this  lot 
was  Stylish  Boy,  which  beat  everything  but  Merry  Boy  and  Mrs.  G.  S. 
Thomas's  Wilberforce.  He  was  not  sold,  although  Mr.  Harding  Davis 
got  so  far  as  asking  us  to  go  and  buy  the  dog,  as  Mrs.  Davis  wanted  a  good 
one.  The  lady  heard  the  conversation,  however,  and  vetoed  the  commission. 
The  dog  went  back  to  England  with  other  unsold  ones,  but  was  again 
imported  before  the  next  New  York  Show  by  Messrs.  Frohman  and  Dilling- 
ham at  a  price  very  much  in  advance  of  what  Mr.  Davis  could  have  got  him 
for.  In  1904  he  was  again  defeated,  but  this  year  under  Mr.  Mayhew  won 
in  winners,  defeating  Bilton  Bob,  who  was  placed  ahead  of  him  in  1904. 
Bouncing  Lass,  the  best  bitch  in  the  Tilley  string  of  1903,  also  returned 
with  Stylish  Boy,  and  she  was  again  the  winner  in  her  winners'  class  last 
year  at  the  New  York  Show.  The  number  of  entries  have  not  been  so 
large  in  1904  and  this  year  as  in  1903,  but  in  that  respect  the  falling  off 
has  not  shown  lack  of  interest  so  much  as  in  the  smaller  number  of  persons 
interested,  the  number  of  exhibitors  being  somewhat  reduced. 

In  addition  to  Messrs.  Frohman  and  Dillingham  the  principal  sup- 


The  Bob-Tailed  Sheep  Dog  385 

porters  of  the  breed  are  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Eustis,  who  showed  four  dogs  at 
New  York  last  year  and  again  this  year.  Their  best  dog  is  still  Bilton 
Bob,  and  they  have  a  champion  in  Lady  Stumpie.  Another  very  good  dog 
is  Captain  Roughweather,  a  son  of  the  English  champion  Roughweather, 
but  the  best  dog  now  before  the  public  is  Mrs.  George  S.  Thomas's 
Wilberforce,  who  has  been  very  successful,  not  only  in  his  classes  but  in 
winning  specials,  and  has  been  kept  in  excellent  condition  at  all  times, 
which  cannot  be  said  of  a  good  many  of  his  competitors. 

Thus  far  the  American-bred  dogs  have  not  been  a  success,  but  we 
have  not  got  the  material  yet  to  produce  with  certainty,  for  that  takes 
time  to  evolve.  At  the  New  York  Show  this  year  three  were  entered,  but  of 
these  we  are  inclined  to  think  one  was  bred  in  England  and  another  was 
entered  as  of  unknown  parentage,  breeder  and  date  of  birth  unknown, 
so  it  is  an  open  question  whether  that  one  was  a  native.  The  future  of 
the  breed  depends  very  much  upon  what  those  interested  in  it  will  do 
during  the  next  year,  for  it  wants  pushing  to  keep  it  going  and  secure  new 
supporters. 

Having  already  described  the  salient  features  of  the  bob-tail,  we  now 
give  the  description  and  scale  of  points  adopted  by  the  English  Club. 

Descriptive  Particulars 

Skull. — Capacious  and  rather  squarely  formed,  giving  plenty  of  room 
for  brain  power.  The  parts  over  the  eyes  should  be  well  arched  and  the 
whole  well  covered  with  hair. 

Jaw. — Fairly  long,  strong,  square  and  truncated;  the  stop  should  be 
defined  to  avoid  a  deerhound  face. 

[The  attention  of  judges  is  particularly  called  to  the  above  properties, 
as  a  long,  narrow  head  is  a  deformity.] 

Eyes. — Vary  according  to  the  colour  of  the  dog,  but  in  the  glaucous  or 
blue  dogs  a  pearl,  wall  or  china  eye  is  considered  typical. 

Nose. — Always  black,  large  and  capacious. 

Teeth.—Sitrong  and  large,  evenly  placed,  and  level  in  opposition. 

Ears. — Small  and  carried  flat  to  the  side  of  the  head,  coated  moderately. 

Legs. — The  fore  legs  should  be  dead  straight,  with  plenty  of  bone, 
removing  the  body  a  medium  height  from  the  ground,  without  approaching 
legginess;  well  coated  all  round. 


386  The  Dog  Book 

Pggt. — Small,  round,  toes  well  arched  and  pads  thick  and  hard. 

Tail. — Puppies  requiring  docking  must  have  an  appendage  left  of 
from  ij  to  2  inches,  and  the  operation  performed  when  not  older  than 
four   days. 

Neck  and  Shoulders. — The  neck  should  be  fairly  long,  arched  grace- 
fully and  well  coated  with  hair;  the  shoulders  sloping  and  narrow  at  the 
points,  the  dog  standing  lower  at  the  shoulder  than  at  the  loin. 

Body. — Rather  short  and  very  compact,  ribs  well  sprung  and  brisket 
deep  and  capacious.  The  loin  should  be  very  stout  and  gently  arched, 
while  the  hindquarters  should  be  round  and  muscular,  with  well  let  down 
hocks,  and  the  hams  densely  coated  with  a  long  jacket  in  excess  of  any 
other  part. 

Coflf.— Profuse  and  of  good,  hard  texture;  not  straight,  but  shaggy  and 
free  from  curl.  The  under  coat  should  be  a  waterproof  pile,  when  not 
removed  by  grooming  or  season. 

Colour. — Any  shade  of  gray,  grizzle,  blue  or  blue  merle,  with  or  without 
white  markings,  or  in  reverse;  any  shade  of  brown  or  sable  is  considered 
distinctly  objectionable  and  not  to  be  encouraged. 

Height. — ^Twenty-two  inches  and  upward  for  dogs,  slightly  less  for 
bitches. 

General  Appearance. — A  strong,  compact-looking  dog  of  great  sym- 
metry, absolutely  free  of  legginess  or  weaselness,  profusely  coated  all  over; 
very  elastic  in  his  gallop,  but  in  walking  or  trotting  he  has  a  characteristic 
ambling  or  pacing  movement,  and  his  bark  should  be  loud,  with  a 
peculiar  pot  casse  ring  in  it.  Taking  him  all  round,  he  is  a  thick-set, 
muscular,  able-bodied  dog,  with  a  most  intelligent  expression,  free  of  all 
poodle  or  deerhound  character. 

Scale  of  Points 

Head 5         Neck  and  shoulders lO 

Jaw 10         Legs  and  feet lo 

Nose 5  Body,  loin  hindquarters .  .   20 

Teeth 5         Coat 15 

Eye 5         Colour 10 

Ears 5                                                    ■ 

Total 100 


Webster  Family  Library  of  Veterinary  IVIedicine 
•  CumminQs  School  of  Veterinary  Medicine  at 
Tufts  University 
200  Westboro  Road 
North  Gr.ittnn,  ^m 


